Search

In this paper, i intend to presente and criticize what Nicholas Agar called "liberal eugenics", the ideia that parents would have full rights to use genetic engineering in order to promote the improvement of certain physical, cognitive or behavior abilities of their children, according to your own values. In this sense, i first point out the main elements of the author's argument; the distinction he draws between new and old forms of eugenics, the reason why parents would be entitled to improve their children, and the limits that must be observed by them in order to avoid the mistakes of the old forms of eugenics as well as in respect for the main argument for enhancement, that is, the liberal respect for autonomy. In a second moment, however, i point out a tension between reasons and limits in Agar's argument, in order to conclude that if he wants to escape from this apparent contradiction, the liberal eugenics needs to be revised in some of its fundamental theses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]