On the concept of eugenics: preliminaries to a critical appraisal
Autor(a) principal: | |
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Data de Publicação: | 1999 |
Tipo de documento: | Artigo |
Idioma: | eng |
Título da fonte: | Cadernos de Saúde Pública |
Texto Completo: | https://cadernos.ensp.fiocruz.br/ojs/index.php/csp/article/view/1230 |
Resumo: | This paper's main issue is linked to what can be foreseen as the increasing capability of medical genetics to modify the genetic composition of the human species through direct interventions in the human genome for medical and non-medical purposes, i.e., the 'risk' of a resurgence of eugenics. In current discussions on the topic (briefly presented in the first section), the 'phantom of eugenics' is raised several times, but there is a great deal of confusion on what counts as eugenics, partly because of broad conceptual disagreement over the notion itself. Furthermore, according to some scholars there is no hope of overcoming this unsatisfactory conceptual uncertainty. Partly challenging this opinion, the second and third sections of this paper attempt to identify some basic features which could be seen as intrinsically linked to the notion of eugenics, with the aim of reducing the range of conceptual disagreement as a preliminary step in bringing into focus what exactly is wrong with practicing eugenics. The subsequent sections deal with the substantive issue of whether or not to practice eugenics from the point of view of the interest of future generations in the human species' genetic composition. The main moral arguments for and against eugenics are examined from the point of view of our obligations towards future generations, and the conclusion is in favor of a cautious 'open-door' position. |
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On the concept of eugenics: preliminaries to a critical appraisalEugenicsGenetic EngineeringBioethicsThis paper's main issue is linked to what can be foreseen as the increasing capability of medical genetics to modify the genetic composition of the human species through direct interventions in the human genome for medical and non-medical purposes, i.e., the 'risk' of a resurgence of eugenics. In current discussions on the topic (briefly presented in the first section), the 'phantom of eugenics' is raised several times, but there is a great deal of confusion on what counts as eugenics, partly because of broad conceptual disagreement over the notion itself. Furthermore, according to some scholars there is no hope of overcoming this unsatisfactory conceptual uncertainty. Partly challenging this opinion, the second and third sections of this paper attempt to identify some basic features which could be seen as intrinsically linked to the notion of eugenics, with the aim of reducing the range of conceptual disagreement as a preliminary step in bringing into focus what exactly is wrong with practicing eugenics. The subsequent sections deal with the substantive issue of whether or not to practice eugenics from the point of view of the interest of future generations in the human species' genetic composition. The main moral arguments for and against eugenics are examined from the point of view of our obligations towards future generations, and the conclusion is in favor of a cautious 'open-door' position.O ponto principal desse artigo está vinculado ao que pode ser antevisto como a crescente capacidade da genética médica de modificar a espécie humana por meio de intervenções diretas no genoma humano com propósitos médicos e não médicos, isto é, o risco do ressurgimento da eugenia. Nas atuais discussões sobre o tópico, o fantasma da eugenia é levantado diversas vezes, mas há grande confusão no que se refere ao que é considerado como eugenia, particularmente em razão da ampla discordância sobre a noção em si. Procura-se identificar algumas características básicas que podem ser vistas como intrinsecamente vinculadas à noção de eugenia, com o propósito de reduzir a amplitude de distância conceitual como um passo preliminar para trazer à luz o que exatamente está errado em práticas eugênicas. Aborda-se a questão substantiva ligada ao dever praticar ou não a eugenia considerando-se o interesse das futuras gerações na constituição genética da espécie humana. Os principais argumentos morais favoráveis e contrários à eugenia são examinados do ponto de vista de nossas obrigações em relação às futuras gerações, e a conclusão é favorável a uma posição cautelosa de "porta aberta".Reports in Public HealthCadernos de Saúde Pública1999-01-01info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersiontext/htmlapplication/pdfhttps://cadernos.ensp.fiocruz.br/ojs/index.php/csp/article/view/1230Reports in Public Health; Vol. 15 No. 5 (1999): Supplement 1Cadernos de Saúde Pública; v. 15 n. 5 (1999): Suplemento 11678-44640102-311Xreponame:Cadernos de Saúde Públicainstname:Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ)instacron:FIOCRUZenghttps://cadernos.ensp.fiocruz.br/ojs/index.php/csp/article/view/1230/2448https://cadernos.ensp.fiocruz.br/ojs/index.php/csp/article/view/1230/2449Neri, Demetrioinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess2024-03-06T15:26:19Zoai:ojs.teste-cadernos.ensp.fiocruz.br:article/1230Revistahttps://cadernos.ensp.fiocruz.br/ojs/index.php/csphttps://cadernos.ensp.fiocruz.br/ojs/index.php/csp/oaicadernos@ensp.fiocruz.br||cadernos@ensp.fiocruz.br1678-44640102-311Xopendoar:2024-03-06T13:01:29.073976Cadernos de Saúde Pública - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ)true |
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv |
On the concept of eugenics: preliminaries to a critical appraisal |
title |
On the concept of eugenics: preliminaries to a critical appraisal |
spellingShingle |
On the concept of eugenics: preliminaries to a critical appraisal Neri, Demetrio Eugenics Genetic Engineering Bioethics |
title_short |
On the concept of eugenics: preliminaries to a critical appraisal |
title_full |
On the concept of eugenics: preliminaries to a critical appraisal |
title_fullStr |
On the concept of eugenics: preliminaries to a critical appraisal |
title_full_unstemmed |
On the concept of eugenics: preliminaries to a critical appraisal |
title_sort |
On the concept of eugenics: preliminaries to a critical appraisal |
author |
Neri, Demetrio |
author_facet |
Neri, Demetrio |
author_role |
author |
dc.contributor.author.fl_str_mv |
Neri, Demetrio |
dc.subject.por.fl_str_mv |
Eugenics Genetic Engineering Bioethics |
topic |
Eugenics Genetic Engineering Bioethics |
description |
This paper's main issue is linked to what can be foreseen as the increasing capability of medical genetics to modify the genetic composition of the human species through direct interventions in the human genome for medical and non-medical purposes, i.e., the 'risk' of a resurgence of eugenics. In current discussions on the topic (briefly presented in the first section), the 'phantom of eugenics' is raised several times, but there is a great deal of confusion on what counts as eugenics, partly because of broad conceptual disagreement over the notion itself. Furthermore, according to some scholars there is no hope of overcoming this unsatisfactory conceptual uncertainty. Partly challenging this opinion, the second and third sections of this paper attempt to identify some basic features which could be seen as intrinsically linked to the notion of eugenics, with the aim of reducing the range of conceptual disagreement as a preliminary step in bringing into focus what exactly is wrong with practicing eugenics. The subsequent sections deal with the substantive issue of whether or not to practice eugenics from the point of view of the interest of future generations in the human species' genetic composition. The main moral arguments for and against eugenics are examined from the point of view of our obligations towards future generations, and the conclusion is in favor of a cautious 'open-door' position. |
publishDate |
1999 |
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv |
1999-01-01 |
dc.type.driver.fl_str_mv |
info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion |
format |
article |
status_str |
publishedVersion |
dc.identifier.uri.fl_str_mv |
https://cadernos.ensp.fiocruz.br/ojs/index.php/csp/article/view/1230 |
url |
https://cadernos.ensp.fiocruz.br/ojs/index.php/csp/article/view/1230 |
dc.language.iso.fl_str_mv |
eng |
language |
eng |
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv |
https://cadernos.ensp.fiocruz.br/ojs/index.php/csp/article/view/1230/2448 https://cadernos.ensp.fiocruz.br/ojs/index.php/csp/article/view/1230/2449 |
dc.rights.driver.fl_str_mv |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
eu_rights_str_mv |
openAccess |
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv |
text/html application/pdf |
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv |
Reports in Public Health Cadernos de Saúde Pública |
publisher.none.fl_str_mv |
Reports in Public Health Cadernos de Saúde Pública |
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv |
Reports in Public Health; Vol. 15 No. 5 (1999): Supplement 1 Cadernos de Saúde Pública; v. 15 n. 5 (1999): Suplemento 1 1678-4464 0102-311X reponame:Cadernos de Saúde Pública instname:Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ) instacron:FIOCRUZ |
instname_str |
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ) |
instacron_str |
FIOCRUZ |
institution |
FIOCRUZ |
reponame_str |
Cadernos de Saúde Pública |
collection |
Cadernos de Saúde Pública |
repository.name.fl_str_mv |
Cadernos de Saúde Pública - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ) |
repository.mail.fl_str_mv |
cadernos@ensp.fiocruz.br||cadernos@ensp.fiocruz.br |
_version_ |
1798943346865995776 |