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Reproductive liberty, disease and disability
1CSEP/IMLAB, School of Law, Williamson Building, Oxford Road, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK. john.m.harris@manchester.ac.uk
Reproductive Biomedicine Online
|April 12, 2005
Summary
Arguments to limit reproductive technologies lack sufficient evidence of harm. Reproductive liberty should include the freedom to select against disability, based on moral and libertarian principles.
Area of Science:
- Bioethics
- Reproductive Technology
- Human Genetics
Background:
- Numerous arguments exist to restrict access to reproductive technologies and gene-based procedures.
- These restrictions often cite potential harms or dangers associated with these technologies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically evaluate the justifications for limiting access to reproductive technologies.
- To argue for reproductive liberty, including the selection against disability, on moral and libertarian grounds.
Main Methods:
- Philosophical analysis of ethical arguments concerning reproductive technologies.
- Examination of the concept of reproductive liberty and its implications for disability selection.
Main Results:
- Existing arguments for limiting reproductive technologies do not demonstrate harms of sufficient seriousness, probability, or proximity to justify restricting human freedom.
- Reproductive liberty, encompassing the freedom to select against disability, is supported by both moral and libertarian reasoning.
Conclusions:
- Limitations on reproductive technologies are not adequately justified by the purported risks.
- Reproductive freedom should extend to the choice to select against disability, aligning with ethical and libertarian frameworks.