PHI 2396 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1-5: Fetus, Human Reproduction, Sentience
11 Jan 2017
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Chapter one (part one) sagan & singer. Human embryo has moral standing because it has the potential to develop into an adult. Because most human embryos have this potential to become an adult human with moral standing, we have an obligation to not destroy them without compelling justification. Sagan and singer argue that this reasoning is absurd and the position that human embryos have moral standing for this reason should be rejected. The view attributing moral standing to human embryos on the grounds that each embryo is a distinct individual with rational nature is flawed, since an embryo does not currently possess the ability to reason. Sagan and singer believe that human embryos have no standing whatsoever and therefore we are free to use them for scientific and medical purposes. Holm rejects common argument both for and against granting human embryos moral standing.
