Genetic modifications for personal enhancement: a defence.

Area of Science:

• Bioethics
• Human Genetics
• Philosophy of Technology

Background:

• Bioconservative viewpoints raise concerns about genetic modification's impact on parental values, child identity, and interpersonal relationships.
• Some critics extend these concerns to self-modification in adults, fearing diminished moral agency and fractured self-identity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically evaluate bioconservative arguments against genetic modification for enhancement.
• To assess the potential impacts of genetic interventions on moral agency, life experiences, and personal identity.

Main Methods:

• Philosophical analysis of ethical arguments.
• Examination of concepts such as moral agency, selfhood, and personal identity in the context of genetic modification.
• Comparison of risks and benefits associated with adult self-modification versus prenatal genetic interventions.

Main Results:

• Concerns about genetic modification undermining moral agency are not fully justified; it does not inherently negate the capacity for moral action.
• Genetic changes do not necessarily lead to less valuable experiences or alienation from self; they can enrich lives and consolidate identity.
• Adults possess the capacity for informed consent regarding genetic modifications, weighing risks and benefits for themselves.

Conclusions:

• The ethical objections to genetic enhancement, particularly for adults, are not as strong as bioconservative arguments suggest.
• Genetic modification can be viewed as a tool for amplifying choice, enhancing life experiences, and affirming personal identity.
• Adults can ethically pursue genetic self-modification through informed consent, a right not equally applicable to prenatal interventions.