Artificial procreation and ethics

Do philosophy and medicine have something in common? Where will lead uncontrolled development of the sciences of genetics, embryology and biotechnology? Is it possible to "co-create" the child together with nature and science?

Development of medicine

Not so long ago the mortality rate of newborn babies and women giving birth was huge - many childbirths ended tragically. In the early stages - the development of medicine (until the end of the 19th century, i.e. until the development of the antisepsis and the asepsis) many times even the doctor's intervention was not effective. Even if the doctor failed to bring about the end of a difficult birth, often after such an intervention the woman developed a deadly puerperal fever (doctors not only failed to disinfect their hands, but also they didn't know they should wash them...).
      It was only in the 20^th century that the development of medicine lowered the mortality of women and children during childbirth to the minimum and significantly reduced the risk of complications. Thanks to the development of gynecology and embryology - namely through prenatal tests - it is possible to detect birth defects of the fetus, and even treat the unborn child. Moreover, while many of the pregnancies in the past ended in miscarriage, today almost every pregnancy can be sustained. People with fertility problems who once had no chance for parenthood, today may use the services of a number of infertility clinics or other opportunities offered by modern medicine - no longer morally unambiguous - such as in vitro fertilization. A woman who herself can not become pregnant, or can not carry her pregnancy, may benefit from the "services" of a surrogate mother.
      The advancement of medicine in just a hundred years is revolutionary, almost unimaginable. The number of positive effects of this revolution is so huge that people rarely reflect on the dangers posed by the uncontrolled development of medical science. Recently, however, some of us began to see these risks. There is even a separate branch of study that deals with ethical issues which arise along with the triumph of medicine and technology. This field of study, being a combination of philosophy and medicine is called bioethics. It was created as a result of the ongoing development of such fields of science as embryology, genetics, biotechnology etc., and consequently the methods of artificial insemination.

Moral problems

Bioethics is the branch of ethics dealing with the moral problems associated with the development of biological and medical sciences. It seeks to address moral dilemmas that arise primarily in the turning moments of life. The main subject of bioethics' study are therefore issues related to euthanasia and artificial means of prolonging life, abortion, artificial insemination, cloning, genetic engineering, etc.
      There are numerous threats posed by the development of medicine. What was impossible not so long ago soon will become available: the "co-creation" of a human child together with nature and science. For the present-day science - technology and medicine - there isn't a least of a problem to change the sex of the fetus, the color of its eyes or to enhance a selected physical feature. The problem is different: must we implement all that is possible to implement? We can not to rule out, that many parents will choose to use this rich instrumentarium of modern medicine. In our reach are some pre-implantation treatment, prenatal tests, surgical procedures during fetal life, therapy and genetic engineering, and finally, cloning. There is a very real risk that in the near future, parents will manipulate their unborn offspring in order to achieve their most desired traits.
      Will having children... be like buying a car today? Will it be possible to purchase the basic or enhanced version, like in the car dealer, depending on the aspirations, preferences, and funds?
      In the past, children died so often that it was not worthwhile (psychologically) to bestow affection on them. I wonder if in the future children "created" in this way will be loved as they are today, or will they be regarded as a kind of investment.

Source: Tomasz Sahaj, Baby - the subject of metaphysics. From history to genetics, "Ethics " 2002, nr 35.

Vocabulary
artificial - sztuczne
procreation - prokreacja, rozmnażanie się
ethics - etyka
to have sth in common - mieć coś wspólnego
to lead - prowadzić
mortality rate - śmiertelność
newborn - nowonarodzony
huge - ogromny
childbirth - poród
antisepsis - antyseptyka
effective - skuteczny
to fail - nie powieść się, nie zdołać
to bring about - spowodować, przyczyniać się
puerperal fever - gorączka połogowa
to lower - obniżać
significant - istotny, znaczący
gynecology - ginekologia
embryology - embriologia
to detect - wykryć
fetus - płód
unborn - nienarodzony
moreover - co więcej, ponadto
miscarriage - poronienie
to sustain - podtrzymać, utrzymać
fertility - płodność
parenthood - rodzicielstwo
infertility - bezpłodność
opportunity - szansa, sposobność
unambiguous - jednoznaczny
fertilization - zapłodnienie
benefit from - korzystać z, skorzystać na
surrogate mother - matka zastępcza, surogatka
advancement - postęp, zaawansowanie
unimaginable - niewyobrażalny
reflect on - rozmyślać nad
separate - oddzielna
ongoing - trwający
branch - oddział, gałąź
field - obszar, dziedzina
insemination - zapłodnienie
to seek - szukać, starać się, ubiegać się
to address sth - tu: odnieść się do czegoś
dilemma - dylemat
to arise - pojawić się
primarily - przede wszystkim, zasadniczo
turning moment - przełomowy moment
subject - temat, obiekt, przedmiot, poddany
issue - kwestia, sprawa
mean - tu: środek do celu, sposób
to prolong - przedłużyć
genetic engineering - inżynieria genetyczna
numerous - liczne
threat - groźba
to pose - powodować, stanowić
available - dostępny
present-day - obecny, dzisiejszy
to enhance - wzmocnić, polepszyć
feature - cecha, właściwość (szczególnie fizyczna)
to implement - wprowadzić, stosować, wdrażać
to rule out - wykluczyć
instrumentarium - ogół metod służących realizacji określonego celu
surgical - chirurgiczny
offspring - potomstwo
to achieve - osiągnąć
trait - cecha
to purchase - nabyć, kupić
to bestow - obdarzyć, nadać
to wonder - zastanawiać się