Naslov
Designer Babies Project as Possible New Racism

Autori
Kokić, Tonći

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Izvornik
Abstract Book: 12th Annual International Conference on Philosophy / Papanikos, Gregory T. - Atena : Athens Institute for Education and Research (ATINER), 2017, 45-46

ISBN
978-960-598-117-4

Skup
12th Annual International Conference on Philosophy

Mjesto i datum
Atena, Grčka, 22.05.2017. - 25.05.2017

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
human gene editing ; social stratification

Sažetak
This paper claims that human gene editing in embryos selected to be born could be trigger for social stratification based on financial power of their creator or client, forming a new kind of injustice social hierarchy, precisely racism. Moreover, designer baby project could led to emergence of a new biological species within the genus Homo. In February, British scientists from the The Francis Crick Institute have been granted permission from the HFEA (Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority) to genetically modify human embryos for the sake of better understanding of the crucial process of embryo development and possible causes of infertility, miscarriage and some genetic diseases. Also, this can advantage our understanding the genes that are needed for the development of healthy embryo. Opponents to this authorization does not deny possible good from this experiments, but do worry this experiments technologically open doors to designer babies and psychologically prepare society for the era of new social classes of genetically superior and inferior, maybe even disintegration of species within the genus Homo, as Habermas warned in The Future of Human Nature. This experiments challenge a variety of problems: technical, biological, evolutionary, social and in particular ethical – is there and where legitimate limits of genetic intervention. Leaving aside other problems, this texts made investigation on suspicion of possible new kind racism based on genes, more specifically on genetic editing humankind babies. This new kind of racism could put humans in hierarchical scale relatively to possession of favourable traits and predestined members of social 'castes' based on their genetic traits. This point break down general presumption of individual achievement as measurement of person value, substitute it by amount of money spent in creating and buying a promising genetic equipment (as Gattaca film show). Similarity between ranking of superior and inferior man based on editing genes of embryos and racists evaluating physical features of people into hierarchical type are transformed in sameness. Furthermore, by this way humanity brake Kant‘s second formulation of the categorical imperative to treat humanity in every person never merely as a means to an end, but always at the same time as an end. It seems that the background theory of designer babies include metaphysical assumptions which reduce the right of existence to embryos with selected certain physical, mental, esthetical, health or gender features. Genes engineering, based on wish of prospect parents to provide their offspring better position in life competencies and society, could lead to disparity between new class of genetically superior man and others with at best, average features, namely – inferior. The new type of social stratification and discrimination may arise in an almost completely collapse of civilization by free or out of hand genetically designed babies: for example, is it not hard to imagine aftermath of the same sex babies flood.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Filozofija

POVEZANOST RADA