Should we have the very best kids we can?

Announcements

• there will be homework for Wednesday--I'll put it at the homework tab this afternoon

Review

Principle of procreative beneficence -- of the children we could have, we should choose the one with the best chance of the best life

1. selection involving IVF and PGD-- at embryo stage
2. couple is selecting among their embryos (may have problems)
3. (A) they should prefer less diseased/disabled of these embryos AND (B) they should prefer embryo with greater assets
4. PGD now detects only diseases/disabilities and gender; in the future PGD will detect genes for intelligence, character traits, athleticism, etc.
5. article is not about altering genes through genetic engineering
6. "should" means "they have good reason to"-- Savulescu is against governmental coercion 
7. selecting best out of four is "beneficent" but recall paradox of future people--nobody would be harmed no matter which is selected (provided they would all have lives worth living)

 Julian Savulescu video clips

• website
• video clip: Savulescu supporting procreative beneficence 
• video clip: Savulescu supporting enhancement for us all
• again, with special effects

Eugenics -- personally chosen vs. state-imposed

• War on the Weak (video)
• more on US eugenics (CNN) 
• is eugenics bad just when state-imposed or also when personally chosen?