Saving Seven Embryos or Saving One Child? Michael Sandel on the Moral Status of Human Embryos

Journal of Philosophical Research 32 (Ethics and the Life Sciences):239-245 (2007)
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Abstract

Suppose a fire broke out in a fertility clinic. One had time to save either a young girl, or a tray of ten human embryos. Would it be wrong to save the girl? According to Michael Sandel, the moral intuition is to save the girl; what is more, one ought to do so, and this demonstrates that human embryos do not possess full personhood, and hence deserve only limited respect and may be killed for medical research. We will argue, however, that no relevant ethical implications can be drawn from the thought experiment. It demonstrates neither that one always ought to let the embryos die, nor does it allow for any general conclusion concerning the moral status of human embryos.

Author's Profile

Gregor Damschen
University of Oldenburg

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