SPEC POINT 2.16

Question 1

Rights and duties:

Answer 1

1. Every individual, born or unborn, has the right to life. Parents have a duty to meet this right
2. A mother has the right to continue or not continue with a pregnancy, particularly if the pregnancy presents risks to the mother’s physical or mental health.
3. Parents have the right to make a free and properly informed choice about whether or not to abort a fetus found to have a significant disorder.

Question 2

Maximising the amount of good in the world:

Answer 2

1. It is unethical to bring a child with a severe genetic disease into the world if this will result in substantial suffering of the individual, greatly reduce the happiness of parents and family, or drain the financial resources of society.
2. Allowing a child with a genetic disease to be born may replace the possibility of a healthy child being born. Selecting healthy children will strengthen, rather than weaken, the gene pool, reducing the number of faully genes in the population.
3. A child with a genetic condition can bring happiness to parents and family, and has the potential to make a positive contribution to society so should not be aborted.

Question 3

Making decisions for yourself:

Answer 3

It is up to the parents to decide if they are willing and able to have a child that will require a special commitment of care.

Question 4

Leading a virtuous life:

Answer 4

Virtuous parents would perhaps love and care for their child irrespective of their physical or mental capacities. Virtuous relatives and families would help them.