The Principle of Procreative Beneficence (Essay Sample)

Final exam take home questions
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There has been a lot of discussions going on with respect to Julian Savulescu’s argument on procreative beneficence. The author alleges that it is a moral obligation for all parents to have a best child. That is, parents have an obligation of having a child that is best to their imaginations. Therefore, prospective parents should have a best child of the children they are to have. Although there has been a lot of heated debates to the issue, there has not been any argument that has succeeded in refuting this argument. The author proposed the principle after alleged possibility of parents having to choose between multiple embryos. Through vitro fertilisation, parents can select among embryos and thus can possibly select a best’s child. In addition, rise in technological advances has enabled the use of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD which allows for detection of any defects as well as colour. Therefore, couples have tended to make use of the advances to ensure they reduce risks of diseases, as well as bad traits in their children. The technologies have thus been used in selection of gender as well as selection of non-medical traits.
Noting this, Savulescu’s thus argues that in most cases, existence of bad traits, like having diseases makes one not lead a best life. Therefore, parent have a reason to use available information to get the best. The author adds that parents have all information at their disposal and thus should select an embryo likely to live a best life. Thus, making use of the genes of intelligence and gender, the author argues that parent should select the best although he recognises that it could lead to social inequality. Therefore, well stated, the author calls on parents to select a child, who is their