- Joined
- Aug 11, 2010
- Messages
- 2,102
So I took this political compass test last night, and this was the only assertion that genuinely mired me; I saw equal arguments for and against, and though in the end I chose 'Agree', I don't. And at the same time I do.
From a utilitarian perspective, following through with this is ideal: it minimizes the prevalence of a disease in future generations and, from this, the future burden on healthcare; on an individual level it negates the reduction in life quality the disease in question brings. However, the belief impinges on the rights of those who already bear the burden of living with disease, and that some lives are worth more than others follows from it. Though it will be for the greater good, a part of me fundamentally disagrees with the notion.
There's also the issue with defining what is and what is not a 'serious inheritable disease', and where prevention falls into the messy business of eugenics.
A friend of mine suffers from muscular dystrophy, an X-linked, recessive disease. Of his own free will he chose to abstain from having children; and that's great, but there's a difference between forcing someone and letting them come to the decision themselves.
Thought I'd open this up for discussion.
From a utilitarian perspective, following through with this is ideal: it minimizes the prevalence of a disease in future generations and, from this, the future burden on healthcare; on an individual level it negates the reduction in life quality the disease in question brings. However, the belief impinges on the rights of those who already bear the burden of living with disease, and that some lives are worth more than others follows from it. Though it will be for the greater good, a part of me fundamentally disagrees with the notion.
There's also the issue with defining what is and what is not a 'serious inheritable disease', and where prevention falls into the messy business of eugenics.
A friend of mine suffers from muscular dystrophy, an X-linked, recessive disease. Of his own free will he chose to abstain from having children; and that's great, but there's a difference between forcing someone and letting them come to the decision themselves.
Thought I'd open this up for discussion.