Genetic selection and the status of the embryo

In this paper I want to try to clarify the nature of the two different problems indicated in the title: there is a lively debate on whether or not genetic selection is a morally licit practice, and there are strong disagreements on whether or not the embryo is a person. I think that most of such controversies depend on confusions and/or unclearness about specific problems involved in each issue, I have no precise normative proposal on the morality of genetic selection, but I hope that my analysis will be helpful in avoiding some current confusions.