Moral Status and Human Embryos, Case Study Example

The case study outlines an issue in regards to fetal abnormality.  The issue presented highlights the moral dilemma involved in knowing beforehand that a fetus has developed an issue prenatally.  Essentially, the problem revolves around whether the correct moral choice is in aborting the pregnancy or allowing the deformed fetus to be born, essentially relegating it to a difficult life and its parents to a lesser socio-economic capability.  In understanding this issue, and coming to a decisive conclusion regarding the moral status, a more coherent understanding of how to deal with similar problems in the future can be achieved.

Determination of Moral Status

In approaching this issue, it is important to first determine the moral status that can be attributed to the fetus, based on the theories that have been developed in regards to the implications of moral reasoning.  Some important theories to review include cognitive, sentience, and humanness.  This is due to the relationship between the decision that is being made regarding the embryo and the moral implications of having it aborted.

Cognitive moral status is essentially basing the moral status of the entity on its cognitive capacity.  In this way, those with a higher capacity for cognitive function are thought to have a higher potential for pain.  By this reasoning, an insect would have very little moral status, while humans have the highest.  In this way, it could be argued that because the fetus has very little cognitive capacity, it does not have the same moral status as a fully developed human.  Another important moral concept to consider in this case is the sentience of the fetus. In this case, the potential for the embryo to feel pain or to experience reality subjectively should be accounted for. This is important, as it is argued that if the being can feel pain or have some subjective experience, then there should be a higher moral status attributed to it. If it can be argued otherwise, than there is strong reason to establish moral grounds for full rights.

Finally, the idea of humanness should be considered in regards to the fetus. How much it can be considered to be human will have a profound impact on the moral status that can be characterized in regards to its wellbeing.  Humanness is, perhaps, one of the most important ideas to consider, as the determination of this factor directly determines the legal rights of the entity.  “In the Western moral and legal tradition, it is often taken for granted that what gives someone (full) moral status and moral rights is biological humanity” (420).  It might, for instance, be argued that, due to the fact that the fetus cannot be said to have any sentience, it cannot be considered human.  Arguments against this, however, would hold that a human fetus should be considered human at conception.  “Proponents of the conception view usually hold it to be a matter of ‘plain biological fact’ that a human organism begins at conception” (421).

Recommendation for Action

These ideas of moral status are important in determining what action should be taken in this case.  Each individual seems to have their own ideas regarding the moral status of the unborn fetus.  Jessica, whose opinion the decision has come down to, is undecided on the subject and seems torn between the opposing views of her Aunt, Marco, and the Doctor.  Her aunt seems to hold the view that full moral status should be given to the embryo.  Her conception of humanness is established based on conception.  Humans have human children, no matter what the stage of development.  Marco, while he seems to have reservations, ultimately determines the status of to be determined by the idea of its moral value.  The values of having the abortion, to him, seems to outweigh the value of keeping a child that would have a difficult life and cost them more than a healthy child.  The Dr. Wilson, then, seems to have a view that is opposite of Aunt Maria’s.  His conception of humanness is based on the notion of sentience, or how subjectively the embryo can experience reality.  Since it is at such an early stage in its development, it does not have the mental capacity to be considered sentient, and is, therefore, not human.

Personal Response to Case Study

In the case of moral status, sentience seems to be the best way to determine the moral status of an entity.  The ability of an entity to subjectively experience reality has a profound impact on the moral obligation that should be applied.  This is due to the connection between sentience and notion of pain or anguish. If it can be determined that a being has no consideration one way or another about its own existence, then the moral imperative for providing it with moral status is decreased.

Conclusion

The issue of fetal abnormality creates a difficult problem in regards how the moral status of the entity should be regarded.  In knowing beforehand that the development of the fetus will result in an abnormal human, the ethical dilemma of whether or not it deserves the right to be born and choose its own fate is important in the establishment of moral obligation.  In determining this status, the cognitive capacity and sentience of the entity should be considered.  This will ultimately determine the position in regards to the embryo’s humanness, which has profound implications in regards to its legal status.  The moral status of an embryo should, therefore, be considered to be non-human due to the fact that it lacks both sentience and mental capacity.  In this way, the Doctor has made the correct decision regarding the positon that should be taken.

References

Steinbock, B. (2006). Moral Status and Human Embryos. Moral Status, Moral Value, and Human Embryos, Chap. 8, Santa Clara, 416-440. https://dspace.sunyconnect.suny.edu/bitstream/handle/1951/52173/Moral%20Status,%20Moral%20Value,%20and%20Human%20Embryos.pdf.