From Bioethics Briefings
Abortion
A central philosophical question in the abortion debate concerns the moral status of the embryo and fetus. If the fetus is a person, with the same right to life as any human being who has been born, it would seem that very few, if any, abortions could be justified, because it is not morally permissible to kill children because they are unwanted or illegitimate or disabled. However, the morality of abortion is not settled so straightforwardly. Even if one accepts the argument that the fetus is a person, it does not automatically follow that it has a right to the use of the pregnant woman’s body. Thus, the morality of abortion depends not only on the moral status of the fetus, but also on whether the pregnant woman has an obligation to continue to gestate the fetus.Bioethics Forum Essay
ES Cells and iPS Cells: A Distinction with a Difference
Gregory Kaebnick recently suggested in Bioethics Forum that apparent differences between induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells and embryos created by somatic cell nuclear transfer may not be all that relevant...Read “ES Cells and iPS Cells: A Distinction with a Difference”
Bioethics Forum Essay
Geron’s Discontinued Stem Cell Trial: What About the Research Participants?
On November 14, Geron, a pioneer in the field of human embryonic stem cell research, announced that it would discontinue its stem cell programs. This abrupt decision, which shocked the...Read “Geron’s Discontinued Stem Cell Trial: What About the Research Participants?”
Bioethics Forum Essay
The Era of the Motherless Embryo Just Got a Lot Closer
About eight years ago, as the controversy about research involving human embryonic stem cells was winding down and Barack Obama was about to take office, I had one of my...Read “The Era of the Motherless Embryo Just Got a Lot Closer”
Bioethics Forum Essay
After the Election Bioethics Faces a Rocky Road
Academic bioethics has never been popular with Republicans. Libertarians dislike academic bioethics because it seems too elitist and anti-free market. Religious thinkers worry it is technocratic, soulless and crassly utilitarian....Bioethics Forum Essay
Human Embryo Research Beyond 14 Days? International Perspectives
In late May, an international organization eliminated a 40-year prohibition against human embryo research beyond 14 days. The legal and scientific consequences will vary around the world.Read “Human Embryo Research Beyond 14 Days? International Perspectives”