Procreation, Adoption and the Contours of Obligation
Journal of Applied Philosophy 32 (3):293-309 (2015)
Abstract
The goal of this article is to evaluate the defensibility of wide-spread beliefs concerning the moral value of procreating. Very many of us are ‘pro-natal’ — that is, we have a positive moral view of making more people — but pro-natalism is under serious threat. In particular, I argue that combining several arguments in procreative ethics generates a powerful case for the Anti-Natal Pro-Adoption View, or the view that we are obligated not to procreate, but instead to satisfy any parenting desires through adoption. Although this article ultimately serves as a defence against ANPA, it does so in a very limited way: while it is false that we are obligated to adopt-rather-than-procreate, I contend, this does not mean that we are off the moral hook altogether. Failing in our obligations is only one way to fail morality. Our procreative acts may yet be bad, dishonourable, selfish, and open to multiple other criticisms. And indeed, I'm afraid many of them areAuthor's Profile
DOI
10.1111/japp.12099
My notes
Similar books and articles
The Unique Value of Adoption.Tina Rulli - 2014 - In Francoise Baylis & Carolyn McLeod (eds.), Family-Making: Contemporary Ethical Challenges. Oxford University Press.
'Making People Happy, Not Making Happy People': A Defense of the Asymmetry Intuition in Population Ethics.Johann David Frick - unknown
Family Making: Contemporary Ethical Challenges.Carolyn McLeod & Francoise Baylis (eds.) - 2014 - Oxford University Press.
Storks, cabbage patches, and the right to procreate.Yvette E. Pearson - 2007 - Journal of Bioethical Inquiry 4 (2):105-115.
On the supposed moral harm of selecting for deafness.Melissa Seymour Fahmy - 2011 - Bioethics 25 (3):128-136.
Accepting Adoption’s Uncertainty: The Limited Ethics of Pre-Adoption Genetic Testing.Kimberly J. Leighton - 2014 - Journal of Bioethical Inquiry 11 (2):245-260.
Procreative reasons-relevance: On the moral significance of why we have children.Mianna Lotz - 2009 - Bioethics 23 (5):291-299.
Analytics
Added to PP
2014-12-17
Downloads
59 (#202,697)
6 months
4 (#183,357)
2014-12-17
Downloads
59 (#202,697)
6 months
4 (#183,357)
Historical graph of downloads
Author's Profile
Citations of this work
Procreative-parenting, love's reasons and the demands of morality.Luara Ferracioli - 2018 - Philosophical Quarterly 68 (270):77-97.
The Paternalistic Argument against Abortion.Itzel Mayans & Moisés Vaca - 2018 - Hypatia 33 (1):22-39.