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Looking into the shadow: the eugenics argument in debates on reproductive technologies and practices
1Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, School of Global Affairs, King's College London, Room 3.12, Bush House (NE), 30, Aldwych, London, WC2B 4BG, UK. giulia.cavaliere@kcl.ac.uk.
Monash Bioethics Review
|December 12, 2018
Summary
Moral debates on reproductive technologies often invoke eugenics. Understanding historical eugenics, both its continuities and discontinuities with modern practices, is key to resolving ethical disagreements.
Area of Science:
- Bioethics
- History of Science
- Reproductive Technologies
Background:
- Eugenics is frequently referenced in ethical discussions surrounding reproductive technologies.
- Historical eugenics is complex and lacks uniform practices, making direct comparisons challenging.
- Contemporary debates utilize 'continuity' and 'discontinuity' views to either condemn or defend modern reproductive technologies based on historical parallels.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the multifaceted meanings of 'eugenics'.
- To analyze the relationship between historical and contemporary uses of the term 'eugenics' within reproductive technology debates.
- To investigate how differing interpretations of past eugenics fuel moral disagreements about present technologies.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of the term 'eugenics'.
- Historical review of 20th-century eugenics practices.
- Examination of contemporary ethical arguments on reproductive technologies.
Main Results:
- The term 'eugenics' carries diverse meanings and historical interpretations.
- Moral disagreements regarding current reproductive technologies stem from divergent perceptions of historical eugenics.
- Both continuity and discontinuity perspectives on eugenics are employed to shape ethical arguments.
Conclusions:
- Understanding the historical context and varied interpretations of eugenics is crucial for navigating ethical debates on reproductive technologies.
- Moral stances on contemporary reproductive practices are influenced by how historical eugenics' condemnable and justifiable aspects are perceived.
- Resolving ethical disputes requires acknowledging the complex legacy of eugenics and its contested relationship with modern science.
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