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Disability, gene therapy and eugenics - a challenge to John Harris
Abstract
This article challenges the view of disability presented by Harris in his article, "Is gene therapy a form of eugenics?"1 It is argued that his definition of disability rests on an individual model of disability, where disability is regarded as a product of biological determinism or "personal tragedy" in the individual. Within disability theory this view is often called "the medical model" and it has been criticised for not being able to deal with the term "disability", but only with impairment. The individual model of disability presupposes a necessary causal link between a certain condition in the individual and disablement. The shortcomings of such a view of disability are stated and it is argued that in order to have an adequate ethical discourse on gene therapy perspectives from disability research need to be taken into consideration.
Key Words: Disability theory • gene therapy • eugenics
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Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Harris John. Is gene therapy a form of eugenics? Bioethics. 1993 Apr;7(2-3):178–187. [Abstract] [Google Scholar]
- Buchanan Allen. Choosing who will be disabled: genetic intervention and the morality of inclusion. Soc Philos Policy. 1996 Summer;13(2):18–46. [Abstract] [Google Scholar]
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