Existentialism and My 'Postwolf' Dachshund: Authenticity in the Age of Genetic Engineering

Human genetic engineering has the potential to profoundly alter the traits of future generations, raising critical ethical questions about authenticity and identity. Essentialist perspectives reject genetic engineering, claiming it inherently compromises authenticity by deviating from a species-typical genome. In contrast, this article advocates for an existentialist interpretation of authenticity, drawing on the philosophies of Heidegger and Sartre. Here, authenticity is understood as a dynamic and relational process rooted in individual choice, responsibility, and engagement with existential conditions. Unlike essentialism, existentialism evaluates genetic interventions not as inherently wrong but based on their alignment with values such as autonomy and authenticity, offering a more flexible and ethically robust framework. Existentialism's emphasis on individual freedom, self-determination, and the creation of meaning in life makes it ethically more compelling than essentialist frameworks, which impose deterministic constraints. Moreover, essentialist critiques falter when they concede the permissibility of therapeutic genetic engineering, undermining the notion of an inherently valuable species-typical human genome. In contrast, existentialism affirms the transformative potential of genetic engineering, recognising it as a means to expand autonomy, self-expression, and opportunities for flourishing when applied responsibly. The article advocates for a balanced ethical approach by integrating the Principle of Procreative Beneficence, which promotes enhancements to optimise flourishing, with the Principle of Procreative Non-Maleficence, which safeguards autonomy by preventing deterministic constraints. This complementary framework, grounded in an existentialist perspective, reframes authenticity as an evolving concept aligned with the transformative possibilities of genetic engineering, enriching the discourse on bioethics and identity in a rapidly changing era.