Daniela Cutas
Lund University, Department of medical ethics, Faculty Member
- Lund University, Department of Clinical Science, Lund, Faculty Memberadd
- Bioethics, Death, Life extension, Medical Ethics, Bioethics, Applied Philosophy, Health Care Ethics, Ethics of Enhancement, and 15 morePhilosophy of Science, Bioethics Reproductive Technology, Applied Ethics, Autonomy, Transhumanism, Consequentialism, Ethical Theory, Food ethics, Philosophy, Children and Families, Family, Postmenopausal Motherhood, Reproductive Ethics, In Vitro Generated Gametes, and Marriageedit
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Should parents aim to make their children as normal as possible to increase their chances to “fit in”? Are neurological and mental health conditions a part of children’s identity and if so, should parents aim to remove or treat these?... more
Should parents aim to make their children as normal as possible to increase their chances to “fit in”? Are neurological and mental health conditions a part of children’s identity and if so, should parents aim to remove or treat these? Should they aim to instill self-control in their children? Should prospective parents take steps to insure that, of all the children they could have, they choose the ones with the best likely start in life?
This volume explores all of these questions and more. Against the background of recent findings and expected advances in neuroscience and genetics, the extent and limits of parental responsibility are increasingly unclear. Awareness of the effects of parental choices on children’s wellbeing, as well as evolving norms about the moral status of children, have further increased expectations from (prospective) parents to take up and act on their changing responsibilities.
The contributors discuss conceptual issues such as the meaning and sources of moral responsibility, normality, treatment, and identity. They also explore more practical issues such as how responsibility for children is practiced in Yoruba culture in Nigeria or how parents and health professionals in Belgium perceive the dilemmas generated by prenatal diagnosis.
This volume explores all of these questions and more. Against the background of recent findings and expected advances in neuroscience and genetics, the extent and limits of parental responsibility are increasingly unclear. Awareness of the effects of parental choices on children’s wellbeing, as well as evolving norms about the moral status of children, have further increased expectations from (prospective) parents to take up and act on their changing responsibilities.
The contributors discuss conceptual issues such as the meaning and sources of moral responsibility, normality, treatment, and identity. They also explore more practical issues such as how responsibility for children is practiced in Yoruba culture in Nigeria or how parents and health professionals in Belgium perceive the dilemmas generated by prenatal diagnosis.
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"This book examines, through a multi-disciplinary lens, the possibilities offered by relationships and family forms that challenge the nuclear family ideal, and some of the arguments that recommend or disqualify these as legitimate units... more
"This book examines, through a multi-disciplinary lens, the possibilities offered by relationships and family forms that challenge the nuclear family ideal, and some of the arguments that recommend or disqualify these as legitimate units in our societies.
That children should be conceived naturally, born to and raised by their two young, heterosexual, married to each other, genetic parents; that this relationship between parents is also the ideal relationship between romantic or sexual partners; and that romance and sexual intimacy ought to be at the core of our closest personal relationships -- all these elements converge towards the ideal of the nuclear family.
The authors consider a range of relationship and family structures that depart from this ideal: polyamory and polygamy, single and polyparenting, parenting by gay and lesbian couples, as well as families created through current and prospective modes of assisted human reproduction such as surrogate motherhood, donor insemination, and reproductive cloning."
That children should be conceived naturally, born to and raised by their two young, heterosexual, married to each other, genetic parents; that this relationship between parents is also the ideal relationship between romantic or sexual partners; and that romance and sexual intimacy ought to be at the core of our closest personal relationships -- all these elements converge towards the ideal of the nuclear family.
The authors consider a range of relationship and family structures that depart from this ideal: polyamory and polygamy, single and polyparenting, parenting by gay and lesbian couples, as well as families created through current and prospective modes of assisted human reproduction such as surrogate motherhood, donor insemination, and reproductive cloning."
Research Interests: Ethics, Parenting, Single Mothers, Gay And Lesbian Studies, Family, and 16 moreFeminism, Polyamory, Same-sex families, Human Cloning, Childhood, Family ethics, Polygamy, Surrogacy, Surrogate Motherhood, Ethics and Family Law, The Problems with Polygamy, Donor Insemination, Ethics,medical Law and Family Medicine, Single Parenting, Same sex parenting, and Poligamy
The book comprises three parts: (1) a general presentation and analysis of the main relevant concepts: bioethics, human genetic engineering, eugenics, disability and, particularly, of the relations between these; (2) the analysis of two... more
The book comprises three parts: (1) a general presentation and analysis of the main relevant concepts: bioethics, human genetic engineering, eugenics, disability and, particularly, of the relations between these; (2) the analysis of two documents of the Council of Europe (the so called “Bioethics Convention” and its first protocol), and the reconstruction of the debates surrounding their primary concerns: human dignity and rights in relation to the prospect of human genetic engineering; and (3) the analysis of a Romanian draft law on human assisted reproduction and of the Romanian legislative endeavours and debates regarding human genetic engineering.
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Recent decades have seen the facilitation of unconventional or even extraordinary reproductive endeavours. Sperm has been harvested from dying or deceased men at the request of their wives; reproductive tissue has been surgically removed... more
Recent decades have seen the facilitation of unconventional or even extraordinary reproductive endeavours. Sperm has been harvested from dying or deceased men at the request of their wives; reproductive tissue has been surgically removed from children at the request of their parents; deceased adults' frozen embryos have been claimed by their parents, in order to create grandchildren; wombs have been transplanted from mothers to their daughters. What is needed for requests to be honoured by healthcare staff is that they align with widely shared expectations about what people's reproductive potential ought to be, what marital relationships ought to result in, and which kinds of ties are desirable between parents and children. Costly and invasive technologies are not considered excessive when they are used to support the building of appropriate families. However, deviations from dominant reproductive norms, even if technologically simple and convenient to the participants, are unlikely to receive support. In this paper, we offer examples of such deviations and explore their implications. If reproduction is important as a way of creating genetic relationships, should reproductive material in storage be offered to genetic relatives other than the people from whom it originated? And if parents are allowed to have reproductive material collected from their offspring, or even to use it to create babies, should offspring likewise be allowed to use their parents' reproductive material? We tackle these questions and suggest ways in which interests in genetic ties could be operationalised in a more coherent and less-invasive manner than they currently are.
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Internationally, there is considerable inconsistency in the recognition and regulation of children's genetic connections outside the family. In the context of gamete and embryo donation, challenges for regulation seem endless. In this... more
Internationally, there is considerable inconsistency in the recognition and regulation of children's genetic connections outside the family. In the context of gamete and embryo donation, challenges for regulation seem endless. In this paper, I review some of the paths that have been taken to manage children' being closely genetically related to people outside their families. I do so against the background of recognising the importance of children's interests as moral status holders. I look at recent qualitative research involving donor-conceived people and borrow their own words to make sense of a purported interest to know (of) their close genetic ties. I also review ways in which gamete donation may have facilitated new kinds of kinship, which are at the same time genetic and chosen. In short, in this paper, I explore what meaning there could be in genetic connections that is not about parenthood. Further, I argue that the focus on parenthood in previous work in this area may be detrimental to appreciating some of the goods that can be derived from close genetic connections.
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Even though co‐parenthood is one of the most significant close personal relationships that people can have, there is relatively little philosophical work on the moral duties that co‐parents owe each other. This may be due to the... more
Even though co‐parenthood is one of the most significant close personal relationships that people can have, there is relatively little philosophical work on the moral duties that co‐parents owe each other. This may be due to the increasingly questionable assumption, still common in our societies, that co‐parenthood arises naturally from marriage or romantic coupledom and thus that commitment to a co‐parent evolves from a commitment to a marital or romantic partner. In this article, we argue that co‐parenthood should be seen as a relationship in its own right, which generates specific moral duties. Co‐parents should come to explicit agreements with each other regarding the most important areas of potential conflict between them. Such agreements may have to be renegotiated over time. We explore some possible non‐negotiable co‐parental duties such as the duties not to alienate the child from the other parent(s) and not to trap a co‐parent in a particularly vulnerable situation. We consider some legal and societal implications of our argument and, finally, suggest some pragmatic benefits of our proposal.
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In debates on the ethics of artificial gametes, concepts of naturalness have been used in a number of different ways. Some have argued that the unnaturalness of artificial gametes means that it is unacceptable to use them in fertility... more
In debates on the ethics of artificial gametes, concepts of naturalness have been used in a number of different ways. Some have argued that the unnaturalness of artificial gametes means that it is unacceptable to use them in fertility treatments. Others have suggested that artificial gametes are no less natural than many other tissues or processes in common medical use. We suggest that establishing the naturalness or unnaturalness of artificial gametes is unlikely to provide easy answers as to the acceptability of using them in fertility medicine. However, we also suggest that we should be cautious about repudiating any relationship between nature and moral evaluation. The property of being natural or man-made may not per se tell us anything about an entity’s moral status, but it has an important impact on the moral relationship between the creator and the created organism.
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The family is commonly regarded as being an important social institution. In several policy areas, evidence can be found that the family is treated as an entity towards which others can have moral obligations; it has needs and interests... more
The family is commonly regarded as being an important social institution. In several policy areas, evidence can be found that the family is treated as an entity towards which others can have moral obligations; it has needs and interests that require protection; it can be ill and receive treatment. The interests attributed to the family are not reducible to those of its members – and may even come into conflict with them. Using Warren's criteria for moral status, we show that, although the family is not explicitly described in terms of moral status, the way in which it is treated implies that it has such status.
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In this paper, we will discuss the prospect of human reproduction achieved with gametes originating from only one person. According to statements by a minority of scientists working on the generation of gametes in vitro, it may become... more
In this paper, we will discuss the prospect of human reproduction achieved with gametes originating from only one person. According to statements by a minority of scientists working on the generation of gametes in vitro, it may become possible to create eggs from men’s non-reproductive cells and sperm from women’s. This would enable, at least in principle, the creation of an embryo from cells obtained from only one individual: ‘solo reproduction’. We will consider what might motivate people to reproduce in this way, and the implications that solo reproduction might have for ethics and policy. We suggest that such an innovation is unlikely to revolutionise reproduction and parenting. Indeed, in some respects it is less revolutionary than in vitro fertilisation as a whole. Furthermore, we show that solo reproduction with in vitro created gametes is not necessarily any more ethically problematic than gamete donation - and probably less so. Where appropriate, we draw parallels with the debate surrounding reproductive cloning. We note that solo reproduction may serve to perpetuate reductive geneticised accounts of reproduction, and that this may indeed be ethically questionable. However, in this it is not unique among other technologies of assisted reproduction, many of which focus on genetic transmission. It is for this reason that a ban on solo reproduction might be inconsistent with continuing to permit other kinds of reproduction that also bear the potential to strengthen attachment to a geneticised account of reproduction. Our claim is that there are at least as good reasons to pursue research towards enabling solo reproduction, and eventually to introduce solo reproduction as an option for fertility treatment, as there are to do so for other infertility related purposes.
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The various problems associated with co-authorship of research articles have attracted much attention in recent years. We believe that this (hopefully) growing awareness is a very welcome development. However, we will argue that the... more
The various problems associated with co-authorship of research articles have attracted much attention in recent years. We believe that this (hopefully) growing awareness is a very welcome development. However, we will argue that the particular and increasing importance of authorship and the harmful implications of current practices of research authorship for junior researchers have not been emphasised enough. We will use the case of our own research area (bioethics) to illustrate some of the pitfalls of current publishing practices – in particular, the impact on the evaluation of one’s work in the area of employment or funding. Even where there are explicit guidelines, they are often disregarded. This disregard, which is often exemplified through the inflation of co-authorship in some research areas, may seem benign to some of us; but it is not. Attribution of co-authorship for reasons other than merit in relation to the publication misrepresents the work towards that publication, and generates unfair competition. We make a case for increasing awareness, for transparency and for more explicit guidelines and regulation of research co-authorship within and across research areas. We examine some of the most sensitive areas of concern and their implications for researchers, particularly junior ones, and we suggest several strategies for future action.
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In this paper we look at the implications of a prospective emerging technology for the case in favor of, or against, postmenopausal motherhood. Technologies such as in vitro derived gametes (sperm and eggs derived from non-reproductive... more
In this paper we look at the implications of a prospective emerging technology for the case in favor of, or against, postmenopausal motherhood. Technologies such as in vitro derived gametes (sperm and eggs derived from non-reproductive cells) have the potential to influence the ways in which reproductive medicine is practiced, and will bring new dimensions to debates in this area. We explain what in vitro derived gametes are and how their development may impact on the case of postmenopausal motherhood. We briefly review some of the concerns that postmenopausal motherhood has raised – and the implications that the successful development, and use in reproduction, of artificial gametes might have for such concerns. The concerns addressed include arguments from nature, risks and efficacy, reduced energy of the mother, and maternal life expectancy. We also consider whether the use of in vitro derived gametes to facilitate postmenopausal motherhood would contribute to reinforcing a narrow geneticized account of reproduction and a pro-reproductive culture that encourages women to produce genetically related offspring at all costs.
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The sources, extent and margins of parental obligations in taking decisions regarding their children’s medical care are subjects of ongoing debates. Balancing children’s immediate welfare with keeping their future open is a delicate task.... more
The sources, extent and margins of parental obligations in taking decisions regarding their children’s medical care are subjects of ongoing debates. Balancing children’s immediate welfare with keeping their future open is a delicate task. In this paper, we briefly present two examples of situations in which parents may be confronted with the choice of whether to authorise or demand non-therapeutic interventions on their children for the purpose of fertility preservation. The first example is that of children facing cancer treatment, and the second of children with Klinefelter syndrome (KS). We argue that, whereas decisions of whether to preserve fertility may be prima facie within the limits of parental discretion, the right to an open future does not straightforwardly put parents under an obligation to take actions that would detect or relieve future infertility in their children – and indeed in some cases taking such actions is problematic.
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In this paper, we explore the ethical and legal implications of a hypothetical use of artificial gametes (AGs): that of taking a person’s cells, converting them to artificial gametes and using them in reproduction – without that person’s... more
In this paper, we explore the ethical and legal implications of a hypothetical use of artificial gametes (AGs): that of taking a person’s cells, converting them to artificial gametes and using them in reproduction – without that person’s knowledge or consent. We note the common reliance on genetic understandings of parenthood in the law, and suggest that injustices may arise if unwitting genetic parents are sued for child support. We draw parallels between the hypothetical use of AGs to facilitate unwitting parenthood, and real examples of unwitting parenthood following cases of sperm theft. We also look at the harm that might be caused by becoming a genetic parent, independently of financial obligations, and ask whether such harm should be understood in terms of theft of property. These examples help to highlight some of the current and prospective difficulties for the regulation of genetic and legal parenthood, and show how existing regulatory assumptions are likely to be further challenged by the development of AGs. We conclude by suggesting that the reliance on genetic connections to generate parental responsibility (financial or otherwise) for offspring is flawed, and that alternative ways of establishing parental responsibility should be considered.
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Several threads of research towards developing artificial gametes are ongoing in a number of research labs worldwide. The development of a technology that could generate gametes in vitro has significant potential for human reproduction,... more
Several threads of research towards developing artificial gametes are ongoing in a number of research labs worldwide. The development of a technology that could generate gametes in vitro has significant potential for human reproduction, and raises a lot of interest, as evidenced by the frequent and extensive media coverage of research in this area. We have asked researchers involved in work with artificial gametes, ethicists, and representatives of potential user groups, how they envisioned the use of artificial gametes in human reproduction. In the course of three focus groups, the participants commented on the various aspects involved. The two recurring themes were the strength of the claim of becoming a parent genetically, and the importance of responsible communication of science. The participants concurred that (a) the desire or need to have genetic offspring of one’s own does not warrant the investment of research resources into these technologies, and that (b) given the minefield in terms of moral controversy and sensitivity that characterises the issues involved, how information is communicated and handled is of great importance.
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In this paper we will look at the various ways in which infertility can be understood and at how need for reproductive therapies can be construed. We will do this against the background of research with artificial gametes (AGs). Having... more
In this paper we will look at the various ways in which infertility can be understood and at how need for reproductive therapies can be construed. We will do this against the background of research with artificial gametes (AGs). Having explored these questions we will attempt to establish the degree to which technologies such as AGs could expand the array of choices that people have to reproduce and/or become parents. Finally, we will examine whether and in what ways the most promising developments of such technologies are likely to bring about the “end of infertility”.
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"In this paper, we present the case of a couple who refused to disclose the sex of their child to others, and some of the responses that this case prompted in the international media. We outline the ethical issues that this case raises,... more
"In this paper, we present the case of a couple who refused to disclose the sex of their child to others, and some of the responses that this case prompted in the international media. We outline the ethical issues that this case raises, and we place it into the more general context of parental preferences regarding the gender (development) of their children and of the impact on children of parental choices in the matter. Based on current knowledge of gender identity development, we identify some of the potential pitfalls of such a course of action and we briefly present some alternative strategies that could be implemented in order to ensure more freedom of gender formation in children."
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Although research has shown that single parenting is not by itself worse for children than their being brought up by both their parents, there are reasons why it is better for children to have more than one committed parent. If having two... more
Although research has shown that single parenting is not by itself worse for children than their being brought up by both their parents, there are reasons why it is better for children to have more than one committed parent. If having two committed parents is better, everything else being equal, than having just one, I argue that it might be even better for children to have three committed parents. There might, in addition, be further reasons why allowing triparenting would benefit children and adults, at least in some cases. Whether or not triparenting is on the whole preferable to bi- or monoparenting, it does have certain advantages (as well as shortcomings) which, at the very least, warrant its inclusion in debates over the sorts of family structures we should allow in our societies, and how many people should be accepted in them. This paper has the modest aim of scratching the surface of this wider topic by challenging the necessity of the max-two-parents framework.
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"This paper presents a systematic account of ethical issues actualised in different areas, as well as at different levels and stages of health care, by introducing organisational and other procedures that embody a shift towards person... more
"This paper presents a systematic account of ethical issues actualised in different areas, as well as at different levels and stages of health care, by introducing organisational and other procedures that embody a shift towards person centred care and shared decision-making (PCC/SDM). The analysis builds on general ethical theory and earlier work on aspects of PCC/SDM relevant from an ethics perspective.
This account leads up to a number of theoretical as well as empirical and practice oriented issues that, in view of broad advancements towards PCC/SDM, need to be considered by health care ethics researchers. Given a PCC/SDM-based reorientation of health care practice, such ethics research is essential from a quality assurance perspective."
This account leads up to a number of theoretical as well as empirical and practice oriented issues that, in view of broad advancements towards PCC/SDM, need to be considered by health care ethics researchers. Given a PCC/SDM-based reorientation of health care practice, such ethics research is essential from a quality assurance perspective."
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In this paper, we are concerned with the ethical implications of the distinction between natural reproduction (via sexual intercourse) and reproduction that requires assistance (either medical or social). We argue that the current... more
In this paper, we are concerned with the ethical implications of the distinction between natural reproduction (via sexual intercourse) and reproduction that requires assistance (either medical or social). We argue that the current practice of enforcing regulations on the latter but not on the former means of reproduction is ethically unjustified. It is not defensible to tolerate parental ignorance or abuse in natural reproduction and subsequently in natural parenting, whilst submitting assisted reproduction and parenting to invasive scrutiny. Our proposal is to guarantee equal (ethical and legal) treatment to people engaging in either form of reproduction or parenting.
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In this paper we argue that society should make available reliable information about parenting to everybody from an early age. The reason why parental education is important (when offered in a comprehensive and systematic way) is that it... more
In this paper we argue that society should make available reliable information about parenting to everybody from an early age. The reason why parental education is important (when offered in a comprehensive and systematic way) is that it can help young people understand better the responsibilities associated with reproduction, and the skills required for parenting. This would allow them to make more informed life-choices about reproduction and parenting, and exercise their autonomy with respect to these choices. We do not believe that parental education would constitute a limitation of individual freedom. Rather, the acquisition of relevant information about reproduction and parenting and the acquisition of self-knowledge with respect to reproductive and parenting choices can help give shape to individual life plans. We make a case for compulsory parental education on the basis of the need to respect and enhance individual reproductive and parental autonomy within a culture that presents contradictory attitudes towards reproduction and where decisions about whether to become a parent are subject to significant pressure and scrutiny.
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I will show that what is respected the most in human reproduction and parenting is not a right to reproduce in the way in which this right is explicitly proposed. The only way in which people can become, and function as, parents without... more
I will show that what is respected the most in human reproduction and parenting is not a right to reproduce in the way in which this right is explicitly proposed. The only way in which people can become, and function as, parents without having to submit themselves to anyone else’s judgments and decisions, is by having reproductive sex. Whatever one’s intentions, social status, standard of living, income etc., so long as assistance is not required, that person’s reproductive decisions will not be interfered with in any way, at least not until neglect or abuse of their offspring becomes known. Moreover, none of the features that are said to back the right to reproduce (such as bodily integrity or personal autonomy) can justify one’s unquestioned access to the relationship with another unable to consent (the child). This indicates that the discourse in terms of the right to reproduce as is currently used so as to justify non-interference with natural reproduction and parenting coupled with the regulation of assisted forms of reproduction and parenting, is at best self-deluding and that all it protects is people’s freedom to have reproductive sex and handle the consequences.
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I will assume that overpopulation is a serious threat. Using this assumption as a starting point, I will show that demanding a halt in the quest for life extension is not an ethically legitimate solution. The practical aspects of the... more
I will assume that overpopulation is a serious threat. Using this assumption as a starting point, I will show that demanding a halt in the quest for life extension is not an ethically legitimate solution. The practical aspects of the degree to which keeping the death rate up would relieve overpopulation have been discussed previously by Max More, I therefore will not approach them again here. In order to discuss the ethical appropriateness of opposing life extension therapies in the name of overpopulation relief, I will approach the issue of the moral rights and obligations involved in the relation between life extension and overpopulation relief.
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I will look at two imaginary examples with the purpose of challenging some of the underlying intuitions that affect our views on immortality. I will argue that if it ever becomes possible to make our future children immortal, to refuse to... more
I will look at two imaginary examples with the purpose of challenging some of the underlying intuitions that affect our views on immortality. I will argue that if it ever becomes possible to make our future children immortal, to refuse to do so would be wrong. Similarly, if one day we found out that we were carrying immortal fetuses we should not try to make them mortal. The argument in both cases relies on the view that condemning our offspring to a limited life-span would harm them in ways which, in the normal conditions of parenthood, we agree are not desirable (or even permissible). And conversely, making our children immortal or allowing them to stay immortal would empower them and increase their range of meaningful choices in the future whilst not denying them death if they desire it.
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The paper presents and briefly analyses some of the provisions of a Romanian legislative proposal which arrived at the Presidency for ratification twice, in slightly different forms, and which was rejected twice: the first time at the... more
The paper presents and briefly analyses some of the provisions of a Romanian legislative proposal which arrived at the Presidency for ratification twice, in slightly different forms, and which was rejected twice: the first time at the Presidency in October 2004, and the second at the Constitutional Court in July 2005. The proposal was finally dropped in February 2006. My intention here is to point to some of the most problematic deficiencies of the legislative document in the hope that this may assist with future debates and regulations on assisted reproduction either in Romania or elsewhere. I have isolated the features to be discussed under two headings: (1) whose are the rights to reproduce, that the document claimed to 'acknowledge, regulate and guarantee' and (2) what is the status of the embryo, the child and the surrogate mother?
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This paper is focused on the analysis of two documents (the Council of Europe's Bioethics Convention and the Additional Cloning Protocol) inasmuch as they refer to the relationship between human dignity and human genetic engineering.... more
This paper is focused on the analysis of two documents (the Council of Europe's Bioethics Convention and the Additional Cloning Protocol) inasmuch as they refer to the relationship between human dignity and human genetic engineering. After presenting the stipulations of the abovementioned documents, I will review various proposed meanings of human dignity and will try to identify which of these seem to be at the core of their underlying assumptions. Is the concept of dignity proposed in the two documents coherent? Is it morally legitimate? Is it, as some might assume, of Kantian origin? Does it have any philosophical roots?
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The paper explores the ethics of post-menopausal motherhood by looking at the case of Adriana Iliescu, the oldest woman ever to have given birth (so far). To this end, I will approach the three most common objections brought against the... more
The paper explores the ethics of post-menopausal motherhood by looking at the case of Adriana Iliescu, the oldest woman ever to have given birth (so far). To this end, I will approach the three most common objections brought against the mother and/or against the team of healthcare professionals who made it happen: the age of the mother, the fact that she is single, the appropriateness of her motivation and of that of the medical team.
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This chapter analyses the implications of findings in epigenetics for the ascription of moral responsibility for children. It contrasts shared understandings of procreative responsibility and discusses its extension to include all... more
This chapter analyses the implications of findings in epigenetics for the ascription of moral responsibility for children. It contrasts shared understandings of procreative responsibility and discusses its extension to include all (individual or collective) actors who influence a child’s gene expression. It also problematizes the focus on biology in this process, using the example of epigenetics as a crossover between social and biological factors that contribute to a child’s life. Epigenetics blurs the boundary between biology and the environment, and thus allows an analysis of contributions to children’s lives that goes beyond classical dualistic categories such as genetic versus environmental or biological versus social. The analysis is undertaken against the broader background of the determination of moral responsibility for children.
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În cele ce urmează vom prezenta pe scurt zona de cercetare a eticii aplicate și locul ei în cadrul disciplinei filosofiei. Vom discuta apoi despre ce fac filosofii când fac etică aplicată. Vom trece în revistă câteva concepte importante... more
În cele ce urmează vom prezenta pe scurt zona de cercetare a eticii aplicate și locul ei în cadrul disciplinei filosofiei. Vom discuta apoi despre ce fac filosofii când fac etică aplicată. Vom trece în revistă câteva concepte importante din etica aplicată, cum ar fi deontologie, virtute, grijă sau drepturi. Apoi vom încerca să oferim un răspuns la întrebarea din titlul introducerii: de ce avem nevoie de etica aplicată? Vom povesti pe scurt despre istoria eticii aplicate în România, iar la final vom rezuma capitolele incluse în volum.
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Care este statutul moral al copiilor? Ce înseamnă egalitatea morală dintre copii şi adulți? Care sunt constrângerile pe care le impune acceptarea acestei egalități în ceea ce priveşte felul în care pot fi tratați copiii în familie sau în... more
Care este statutul moral al copiilor? Ce înseamnă egalitatea morală dintre copii şi adulți? Care sunt constrângerile pe care le impune acceptarea acestei egalități în ceea ce priveşte felul în care pot fi tratați copiii în familie sau în societate ? Cine are ce fel de responsabilitate pentru copii ? În capitolul de față voi discuta astfel de întrebări. Voi analiza relația dintre copii, părinți şi stat, în dimensiunea ei practică (felul în care ne raportăm la copii), din punct de vedere legal (constrângerile legale asupra felului în care ne raportăm la copii) şi din punct de vedere moral (cum ar trebui să ne raportăm la copii). Voi începe cu o scurtă incursiune în istoria relațiilor dintre copii, părinți, şi stat, atât din punct de vedere legal, cât şi filosofic. Voi prezenta conceptul de statut moral şi ideea de egalitate morală între copii şi adulți. Voi ilustra schimbările sociale şi legislative în ce priveşte acceptarea statutului moral al copiilor şi a egalității morale între copii şi adulți, folosind exemple din România şi Suedia. Voi examina dinamica dintre aspirațiile legale şi morale la care aderă România în ce priveşte statutul moral al copiilor şi normele sociale despre copii, copilărie, şi familie, care nu sunt întotdeauna în acord cu aceste aspirații. Voi urmări apoi schimbările care au avut loc în ultimele decenii în ce priveşte limitele responsabilității parentale.
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Who is a child’s father? Is it the man who raised her, or the one whose genes she carries—or both? In this chapter, we look at the view that men who have raised children they falsely believed to be ‘their own’ have been victims of a form... more
Who is a child’s father? Is it the man who raised her, or the one whose genes she carries—or both? In this chapter, we look at the view that men who have raised children they falsely believed to be ‘their own’ have been victims of a form of fraud or are ‘false fathers’. We consider the question of who has been harmed in such cases, and in what the harm consists. We use conceptual analysis, a philosophical method of investigating the use of a concept and the logical implications of its various interpretations. We devise and discuss a number of possible scenarios in which a couple (arguably) become the parents of a child. We use these scenarios to illustrate the tenuousness of the claim that we can simply rely on biology to clarify parent-child relationships. We also discuss some of the underpinnings and implications of the language in which the debate on ‘paternity fraud’ has been framed: ‘duped’ or ‘false’ fathers and ‘cuckoo children’.
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In this brief text we look at one instance of how gender norms continue to inform institutional treatment of parents regarding care for children: specifically, at how the exercise of fathers’ responsibilities for their children can be... more
In this brief text we look at one instance of how gender norms continue to inform institutional treatment of parents regarding care for children: specifically, at how the exercise of fathers’ responsibilities for their children can be discouraged or altogether blocked.
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The chapter starts with an exploration of what the family is in order then to move on to look at its parts. The family has been defined in terms of its form (e.g. a mother, a father, and their biological offspring) or its function (e.g.... more
The chapter starts with an exploration of what the family is in order then to move on to look at its parts. The family has been defined in terms of its form (e.g. a mother, a father, and their biological offspring) or its function (e.g. adults taking and/or sharing custodial responsibility for children). In both of these cases, children are a necessary ingredient for a unit to be called a family – but the chapter also briefly reviews proposals to extend the accolade of “family” to beyond child-rearing. From a perspective concerned primarily with family form, biological and more specifically genetic parents have been seen as those to whom children should be born, and by whom they should be raised. From a perspective concerned with family function, this is not necessarily the case. Lastly, the chapter looks at the relation between parents and the requirements that co-parenting may generate in this regard.
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In recent years, there has been growing concern over the perceived tendency of women to postpone childbearing. In this chapter, we show that some of the responses to the phenomenon of postponed reproduction are deeply problematic. The... more
In recent years, there has been growing concern over the perceived tendency of women to postpone childbearing. In this chapter, we show that some of the responses to the phenomenon of postponed reproduction are deeply problematic. The question of whether it is accurate to construe later motherhood as postponement at all is far from clear. Moreover, public health messages tend to recommend earlier motherhood as a way of avoiding risks, but this is a crude oversimplification: reproduction involves risks whenever it is undertaken. The focus on risk calls into question some of the strategies intended to remedy postponement of parenthood. There is also the question of where men feature in these decisions: they are all but absent in the public health material and media debates. We consider whether technology could offer a solution to postponement of parenthood, whether there are any benefits to postponement, and finally, whether postponed parenthood could itself be seen as part of a broader trend towards neoteny (the delaying of maturity) in human evolution.
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This chapter explores current and prospective reproductive technologies and some of their likely implications for reproductive and family ethics and policymaking. The technologies discussed include uterus transplants, mitochondrial... more
This chapter explores current and prospective reproductive technologies and some of their likely implications for reproductive and family ethics and policymaking. The technologies discussed include uterus transplants, mitochondrial transfer, ectogenesis, the development of in vitro gametes, and solo reproduction. The chapter considers the impact of these developments on the content of concepts such as ‘infertility’, ‘mother’, or ‘father’. Another layer to this process of redefinition originates in ongoing socio-cultural changes that shift the focus in parenting from the way in which children have come into the world, to relationships within the family. Considering these scenarios beforehand can help to clarify some of the current challenges in defining and regulating infertility. The chapter therefore aims to raise a number of questions rather than provide answers.
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It has been argued that, when there is a probable imminent risk of loss of children’s fertility, their parents should take active steps to preserve their reproductive potential if possible – or even that children have a right to such... more
It has been argued that, when there is a probable imminent risk of loss of children’s fertility, their parents should take active steps to preserve their reproductive potential if possible – or even that children have a right to such interventions being undertaken on them on their behalf, as an expression of their right to an open future. In this chapter, I explore these proposals and some of their implications. I place the discussion of fertility preservation for children into the more general context of the choices that parents might have to help keep their children’s future reproductive (and parenting) choices open. I discuss the role of desert and fairness in arguments for fertility preservation and their relevance for framings of infertility in general, as well as the relation between having a (slight) possibility to reproduce and becoming a parent.
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The term “polyamory” stands for love relationships between more than two romantic or sexual partners, or loving more than one person. It means being open to engaging in consensual non-monogamous love relationships at the same time and in... more
The term “polyamory” stands for love relationships between more than two romantic or sexual partners, or loving more than one person. It means being open to engaging in consensual non-monogamous love relationships at the same time and in this way it is different from serial monogamy (having only one romantic partner at a time, but several during one's lifetime). In a broader sense, polyamory is also taken to denote a willingness to accept that romantic love may involve more than two partners. A core tenet of polyamory is that loving one person does not need to exclude loving another, and that love is, or should be, inclusive.
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We explore the ethical implications of restricting researchers’, patients’ and clinicians’ activities in the field of stem cell science, either by not allowing them to engage in it wherever they are in virtue of their citizenship, or by... more
We explore the ethical implications of restricting researchers’, patients’ and clinicians’ activities in the field of stem cell science, either by not allowing them to engage in it wherever they are in virtue of their citizenship, or by restricting it everywhere altogether regardless of the ethical disagreement.
Research Interests:
The questions we address are the following: Are we entitled to access life extension therapies? Must we draw the line at some point (say 120 years, the maximum life span so far, or maybe even earlier) and decide that that’s that and now... more
The questions we address are the following: Are we entitled to access life extension therapies? Must we draw the line at some point (say 120 years, the maximum life span so far, or maybe even earlier) and decide that that’s that and now we must die? Are there considerations that might make either living or making it possible to live after a certain ages immoral? Does justice require foregoing life extension therapies or does it require the development and application of these therapies?
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What is love? Is it an uncontrollable emotion? Is it, instead, socially shaped, both an emotion and a social practice? Can the bonds of care and affection between humans and non-human animals be said to be on a par with parent-child... more
What is love? Is it an uncontrollable emotion? Is it, instead, socially shaped, both an emotion and a social practice? Can the bonds of care and affection between humans and non-human animals be said to be on a par with parent-child relationships between humans? Do parents owe love to their children – and do mothers and fathers, respectively, owe it to different degrees? Do subversive weddings challenge normative ideals about love? What is the significance of love for the value of close personal or family relationships? All these questions and more are discussed in the articles included in this special issue. The contributors draw from a variety of disciplines including philosophy, sociology, political science, religious studies, and history, as well as from empirical work that they have undertaken in Canada, Belgium, Portugal, or Romania. From these different perspectives and experiences, each contribution addresses important questions about love and its relation to sexuality, monogamy, friendship, the family, parenthood, or society in general.
Research Interests: Love, Philosophy Of Friendship, Polyamory, Philosophy of Love, Friendship, and 14 moreRomania, Family ethics, Assisted Reproductive Technologies, Stereotyping, Marriage and Family, Romantic love, Philosophy of Love and Sex, Plato's Symposium, Consensual non-monogamy, Love and Relationships, Interspecies Ethics, Tinder, Polyamorous families, and amatonormativity
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News about ever more sophisticated ways to become parents raise concerns in terms of, among others, the increasing medicalisation of some of the most intimate forms of human interaction, as well as the decrease in willingness to accept... more
News about ever more sophisticated ways to become parents raise concerns in terms of, among others, the increasing medicalisation of some of the most intimate forms of human interaction, as well as the decrease in willingness to accept risks in human reproduction. Prospects such as in vitro created gametes or reproductive cloning and the correlative possibility that a person reproduces without genetic material from someone else evoke transgressions of maybe the last frontier in human reproduction: that it is essentially collaborative. The increasing capacity to detect and eliminate any abnormality in embryos creates expectations of and from parents to pursue such technologies and make the “right”, “responsible” choices. This has been criticised for demonstrating defects in parental expectations and, ultimately, in parental love. Innovations in technologies of human reproduction take us further and further from whatever ideal of romantic love between parents, and of unconditional love of children, we might have had. Not only that, but they have triggered worries in terms of “the end of men” and “the end of sex”. Journalists, film-makers, and novelists have exploited these worries to depict dystopic pictures of undesirable futures devoid of intimacy, individuality, and creativity.
Interestingly, objections in terms of fractures in love, either parental or between partners, come from a variety of directions, from the conservative (Kass 2003) to the liberal (Gheaus 2014). In this talk, I will explore these worries and I problematize the tendency, encouraged in the Western world, to turn towards medicine and genetics to fix problems that could be more effectively addressed in other, less technological and sophisticated ways. In so doing, I hope to reveal both the bias towards Sci-Fi solutions and the status quo bias against unavoidable progress – not only scientific but also cultural, social, and legal.
Interestingly, objections in terms of fractures in love, either parental or between partners, come from a variety of directions, from the conservative (Kass 2003) to the liberal (Gheaus 2014). In this talk, I will explore these worries and I problematize the tendency, encouraged in the Western world, to turn towards medicine and genetics to fix problems that could be more effectively addressed in other, less technological and sophisticated ways. In so doing, I hope to reveal both the bias towards Sci-Fi solutions and the status quo bias against unavoidable progress – not only scientific but also cultural, social, and legal.
Research Interests:
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The law shapes human lives. It recognises and supports certain types of close personal relationships (e.g. by marriage or legal parenting), and is silent on others (such as close friendships) – or altogether proscribes them (such as, in... more
The law shapes human lives. It recognises and supports certain types of close personal relationships (e.g. by marriage or legal parenting), and is silent on others (such as close friendships) – or altogether proscribes them (such as, in some countries, same-sex marriage). It puts gender and sexuality at the core of our closest personal relationships: your relationship can bring you a bundle of privileges, depending on the number of its members, on their genders and on who (presumably) has sex with whom. However, some people cannot, find it difficult or prefer not to put a (presumably) (preferably hetero-) sexual relationship at the core. Some people are simply better off in other arrangements (single, sharing their lives with more than one romantic partner, with friends, siblings, parents, adopted children, etc.) Often more than two adults, or people other than her legal parents, are a child’s de facto parents - but only two, and in some countries only two of complementary genders, can be her legal parents: anyone else is legally invisible. (Presumably) romantic relationships and the offspring that they generate are not the only caring relationships worth protecting.
In this talk, I will look at how the law regulates close relationships, and how it could be improved to better reflect and respond to the needs and realities of people’s lives. I will focus on the example of marriage and its corresponding privileges, and on the importance of gender and sexuality in the current legal framework. In particular, I will show how, by putting gender and sexuality at the centre, the law fails to recognise and address the values which (it claims) it aims to protect. I will look at possible futures in which it would better recognise and protect these values, all the while creating more gender equality.
In this talk, I will look at how the law regulates close relationships, and how it could be improved to better reflect and respond to the needs and realities of people’s lives. I will focus on the example of marriage and its corresponding privileges, and on the importance of gender and sexuality in the current legal framework. In particular, I will show how, by putting gender and sexuality at the centre, the law fails to recognise and address the values which (it claims) it aims to protect. I will look at possible futures in which it would better recognise and protect these values, all the while creating more gender equality.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
""Postponed motherhood and in particular postmenopausal (postponed) motherhood raise much controversy. Age limits for access to fertility treatments are imposed in a number of countries. Where there are no official age limits, health... more
""Postponed motherhood and in particular postmenopausal (postponed) motherhood raise much controversy. Age limits for access to fertility treatments are imposed in a number of countries. Where there are no official age limits, health professionals are welcome to deny older women access to fertility treatments, regardless of their health status or any other particularities other than age itself. This is largely not seen as problematic: on the contrary, reports of women after the age of the menopause having become mothers generate ever new calls to measures that would (should) prevent such cases from occurring.
Whereas there doubtlessly are important reasons why motherhood after the age of the menopause is morally problematic, if is often not clear what motivates objections to it – or, more dramatically, calls to prevent it. Inasmuch as they are phrased in terms of the interests of children-to-be, many fail on a variety of counts, among others by failing to apply the same criteria to, for instance, prospective parents with disabilities or who might be at risk of recurring cancer. Implicit amongst these objections are sometimes considerations of fair innings (that these women have had a lifetime at their disposal to become mothers), desert (it is their fault that they waited so much), or sheer ageism (mostly obvious in media reports and in readers’ comments to these reports, but also often in legal transcripts). The making of a distinction between “social” and “medical” justifications for access to fertility preservation technologies aims at separating legitimate and immediate reasons for having one’s fertility maintained, from more diffuse reasons that it is acceptable or even necessary to question or even reject outright. However, for an ethical argument and for a legal interdiction to hold, they have to rely on considered judgment and they have to be fair. Reproduction and parenting are highly cherished values for many individuals, whose denial can have a great impact on the wellbeing of the person to whom they are denied – regardless of her age.
The prospect of infertility in young women due to having undergone cancer treatment easily garners sympathy. The fact that the plea of older women does not is not necessarily an indication of moral righteousness, and might be an indication of far more unsettling causes. The reasons for this inequality of perception and of treatment should be examined, and that is what I plan to do during my talk.""
Whereas there doubtlessly are important reasons why motherhood after the age of the menopause is morally problematic, if is often not clear what motivates objections to it – or, more dramatically, calls to prevent it. Inasmuch as they are phrased in terms of the interests of children-to-be, many fail on a variety of counts, among others by failing to apply the same criteria to, for instance, prospective parents with disabilities or who might be at risk of recurring cancer. Implicit amongst these objections are sometimes considerations of fair innings (that these women have had a lifetime at their disposal to become mothers), desert (it is their fault that they waited so much), or sheer ageism (mostly obvious in media reports and in readers’ comments to these reports, but also often in legal transcripts). The making of a distinction between “social” and “medical” justifications for access to fertility preservation technologies aims at separating legitimate and immediate reasons for having one’s fertility maintained, from more diffuse reasons that it is acceptable or even necessary to question or even reject outright. However, for an ethical argument and for a legal interdiction to hold, they have to rely on considered judgment and they have to be fair. Reproduction and parenting are highly cherished values for many individuals, whose denial can have a great impact on the wellbeing of the person to whom they are denied – regardless of her age.
The prospect of infertility in young women due to having undergone cancer treatment easily garners sympathy. The fact that the plea of older women does not is not necessarily an indication of moral righteousness, and might be an indication of far more unsettling causes. The reasons for this inequality of perception and of treatment should be examined, and that is what I plan to do during my talk.""
Research Interests:
"Reproductive and family policy across Europe operates largely on the assumption that there is something of significant value in children being born to and raised by their own two genetic parents, one male and one female, who are in a... more
"Reproductive and family policy across Europe operates largely on the assumption that there is something of significant value in children being born to and raised by their own two genetic parents, one male and one female, who are in a particular type of relationship with each other, preferably institutionalised as marriage, and that this is the core relationship model for everyone to aim for. Evidence that this model in itself is not what provides the goods that we endow it with, has a very hard time sinking in and influencing both the ethics and, especially, the policy. The extent to which the model leaves many and in some cases most people outsides of its many social and legal advantages, makes its imposition both increasingly unrealistic and harmful. The expectations that it inspires create a lot of suffering as well as unjustifiably limit fruitful outcomes for pronatalist agendas of the very same countries that uphold it.
I will explore alternatives to this model of reproduction and the family, and invite further reflection on what to replace it with in order to more realistically and fairly account for the legitimate diversity of private lives, preferences, and experiences. In order to achieve this, I will examine the values in close personal relationships and the family, and the interests and justifications that states might have to participate in the organisation of private life."
I will explore alternatives to this model of reproduction and the family, and invite further reflection on what to replace it with in order to more realistically and fairly account for the legitimate diversity of private lives, preferences, and experiences. In order to achieve this, I will examine the values in close personal relationships and the family, and the interests and justifications that states might have to participate in the organisation of private life."
Using the example of children facing fertility threatening cancer treatment, I will look at whether parents owe their children to take measures aimed at preserving their fertility. There are a number of studies that point out that... more
Using the example of children facing fertility threatening cancer treatment, I will look at whether parents owe their children to take measures aimed at preserving their fertility. There are a number of studies that point out that infertile survivors of cancer wish their fertility could have been preserved, and there are also studies suggesting that biological reproduction is at least as important for survivors of cancer as it is for the general population. In this context, it has been argued that parents should preserve their children’s fertility if possible – or even that children have a right to such efforts, either as a part of their right to an open future, or of a right to reproduce.
However, fertility preservation for children is not as straightforward as it might seem at first glance. Firstly, some such proposed interventions are invasive and experimental, whilst some are minor and reasonably successful: clearly such aspects will impact differently on particular cases. Secondly, the argument in terms of the children’s right to an open future does not necessarily suffice on its own, inasmuch as any parental decision opens some futures and closes some others for children.
Finally, I will make a few alternative proposals for ways in which parents can help their children in their future fertility choices.
However, fertility preservation for children is not as straightforward as it might seem at first glance. Firstly, some such proposed interventions are invasive and experimental, whilst some are minor and reasonably successful: clearly such aspects will impact differently on particular cases. Secondly, the argument in terms of the children’s right to an open future does not necessarily suffice on its own, inasmuch as any parental decision opens some futures and closes some others for children.
Finally, I will make a few alternative proposals for ways in which parents can help their children in their future fertility choices.
Motherhood after the age of the menopause, facilitated by in vitro fertilisation technologies (IVF), has raised much controversy in the last decade. The achievement of pregnancy in postmenopausal women has so far involved donated oocytes.... more
Motherhood after the age of the menopause, facilitated by in vitro fertilisation technologies (IVF), has raised much controversy in the last decade. The achievement of pregnancy in postmenopausal women has so far involved donated oocytes. This was the case for several reasons. Firstly, technology did not allow the adequate preservation of oocytes. Secondly, postmenopausal women either lacked own viable oocytes, or the risks involved in using their own (aged) oocytes would have been too high.
Some of the objections to allowing the use of the technology in such cases have been formulated in terms of the burden that donating oocytes imposes on the donors. Given that postmenopausal motherhood is a controversial achievement, involving (incrementally) higher risks at all levels (of miscarriage, of need for C-section, of parental loss too early in life), it is often argued that such uses of the technology and donor eggs should not be supported or allowed at all. Moreover, gamete donation does not provide women with “their own” children: and this may be seen as a shortcoming both by opponents of such uses, and by the prospective mothers themselves.
Due to recent developments, however, oocytes can now be preserved, and it may become feasible to create oocytes from women’s genetic material. These two possibilities avoid the abovementioned two objections, and multiply the range of choices that prospective mothers after the age of the menopause may have in the future. In this presentation (and draft paper) I will be looking at these possibilities and what they mean for arguments in the area of the ethics and policy of postmenopausal motherhood.
Some of the objections to allowing the use of the technology in such cases have been formulated in terms of the burden that donating oocytes imposes on the donors. Given that postmenopausal motherhood is a controversial achievement, involving (incrementally) higher risks at all levels (of miscarriage, of need for C-section, of parental loss too early in life), it is often argued that such uses of the technology and donor eggs should not be supported or allowed at all. Moreover, gamete donation does not provide women with “their own” children: and this may be seen as a shortcoming both by opponents of such uses, and by the prospective mothers themselves.
Due to recent developments, however, oocytes can now be preserved, and it may become feasible to create oocytes from women’s genetic material. These two possibilities avoid the abovementioned two objections, and multiply the range of choices that prospective mothers after the age of the menopause may have in the future. In this presentation (and draft paper) I will be looking at these possibilities and what they mean for arguments in the area of the ethics and policy of postmenopausal motherhood.
Research Interests:
That there are problems in the co-authorship decision-making within research groups, and that the biomedical sciences feature prominently among the affected research areas, are well-known facts [1-19]. Co-authorship practices may include... more
That there are problems in the co-authorship decision-making within research groups, and that the biomedical sciences feature prominently among the affected research areas, are well-known facts [1-19]. Co-authorship practices may include honorary, guest, or ghost authorship, as well as, more generally, co-authorship ranking on criteria other than merit. Moreover, some of the difficulties in the practice of co-authorship may be linked to shortcomings in the co-authorship criteria, where indeed explicit criteria exist at all: in the case of biomedical research, the relevant regulations are the “Vancouver rules”, to which most publishers adhere.
Academic publishing is a very important part of research dissemination, not only for the progress of research itself, but also for society as a whole, as well as for individual researchers. In all scientific areas, publications are increasingly the most important merit in the competition for employment and funding. This status quo imposes a heavy burden on researchers to publish (“or perish”). Moreover, it increases the costs of any shortcomings or failures in the practice of authorship. Suspicions or violations of uniform co-authorship criteria diminish trust in science as well as the incentive for scientists to follow them. Cross-disciplinary research funding, as well as increasing internationalisation and migration of researchers are aggravating factors that increase the vulnerability of researchers subjected to the variety of practices across research units, disciplines, and geographical areas. Arguably, junior researchers are the most vulnerable parties in this process. It is therefore important that the practice of scientific co-authorship is transparent and just.
In this presentation, I will look at some of the most sensitive areas of concern, implications for researchers (in particular for junior researchers), and possible solutions. My main expectation from this experience is to hopefully find partners for a collaborative project focused on the ethics of research co-authorship.
Academic publishing is a very important part of research dissemination, not only for the progress of research itself, but also for society as a whole, as well as for individual researchers. In all scientific areas, publications are increasingly the most important merit in the competition for employment and funding. This status quo imposes a heavy burden on researchers to publish (“or perish”). Moreover, it increases the costs of any shortcomings or failures in the practice of authorship. Suspicions or violations of uniform co-authorship criteria diminish trust in science as well as the incentive for scientists to follow them. Cross-disciplinary research funding, as well as increasing internationalisation and migration of researchers are aggravating factors that increase the vulnerability of researchers subjected to the variety of practices across research units, disciplines, and geographical areas. Arguably, junior researchers are the most vulnerable parties in this process. It is therefore important that the practice of scientific co-authorship is transparent and just.
In this presentation, I will look at some of the most sensitive areas of concern, implications for researchers (in particular for junior researchers), and possible solutions. My main expectation from this experience is to hopefully find partners for a collaborative project focused on the ethics of research co-authorship.
Research Interests:
In this presentation I will look at the ways in which the current regulations governing the formation of close relationships work in our societies, and how they could (or should) be reoriented. Within “close relationships” I subsume the... more
In this presentation I will look at the ways in which the current regulations governing the formation of close relationships work in our societies, and how they could (or should) be reoriented. Within “close relationships” I subsume the formation of families, reproduction and parenting.
The core of the analysis will revolve around the societal and legal preferential treatment awarded to particular close relationship formation strategies, namely the “sexy family”: families which are formed around an assumed sexual arrangement (between two sexually complementary adults, romantically involved with each other) onto which the other relationships are built. I will propose a less sex-based framework for looking at close personal relationships, family formation and parenting.
The core of the analysis will revolve around the societal and legal preferential treatment awarded to particular close relationship formation strategies, namely the “sexy family”: families which are formed around an assumed sexual arrangement (between two sexually complementary adults, romantically involved with each other) onto which the other relationships are built. I will propose a less sex-based framework for looking at close personal relationships, family formation and parenting.
Tehnologiile reproductive dezvoltate în ultimele decade au diversificat dramatic situațiile în care mai multe categorii de adulți își revendică dreptul de a fi recunoscuți ca părinți ai unor copii. Dacă persoanele de la care au provenit... more
Tehnologiile reproductive dezvoltate în ultimele decade au diversificat dramatic situațiile în care mai multe categorii de adulți își revendică dreptul de a fi recunoscuți ca părinți ai unor copii. Dacă persoanele de la care au provenit gameții, femeile care au purtat sarcinile, precum și cei al căror proiect de a deveni părinți a pus în mișcare actul de concepție solicită să li se acorde în mod exclusiv privilegiul de a funcționa ca părinți ai copiilor, solicitarea cui are prioritate? Cine este mai părinte? Altfel spus, ce înseamnă că cineva este părintele adevărat al unui copil? Ce este dreptul de a fi părinte și pe ce se fundamentează?