Document Detail


Parental virtue: a new way of thinking about the morality of reproductive actions.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  17845476     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
In this paper I explore the potential of virtue ethical ideas to generate a new way of thinking about the ethical questions surrounding the creation of children. Applying ideas from neo-Aristotelian virtue ethics to the parental sphere specifically, I develop a framework for the moral assessment of reproductive actions that centres on the concept of parental virtue. I suggest that the character traits of the good parent can be used as a basis for determining the moral permissibility of a particular reproductive action. I posit three parental virtues and argue that we can see the moral status of a reproductive action as determined by the relationship between such an action and (at least) these virtues. Using a case involving selection for deafness, I argue that thinking in terms of the question 'would a virtuous parent do this?' when morally assessing reproductive action is a viable and useful way of thinking about issues in reproductive ethics.
Authors:
Rosalind McDougall
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Bioethics     Volume:  21     ISSN:  0269-9702     ISO Abbreviation:  Bioethics     Publication Date:  2007 May 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2007-09-13     Completed Date:  2007-09-27     Revised Date:  2009-11-19    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8704792     Medline TA:  Bioethics     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  181-90     Citation Subset:  E; IM    
Affiliation:
Centre for Health and Society, 207 Bouverie St, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia. r.mcdougall@pgrad.unimelb.edu.au
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Deafness / congenital
Humans
Parenting / psychology*
Philosophy*
Reproduction / ethics*
Virtues*

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