Answer for PHI 413 How does your worldview of human value affect your beliefs about bioethical issues, such as abortion, designer babies, and stem cell research? Re: Topic 2 DQ 2

Bioethical issues, such as abortion, designer babies, and stem cell research, are complex topics that often involve diverse perspectives and ethical considerations. People’s views on these issues can be influenced by a variety of factors, including cultural, religious, philosophical, and personal beliefs. Abortion, for example, is a contentious issue with debates revolving around a woman’s right to choose, the rights of the fetus, and moral considerations (Kazcor, 2022). Designer babies, referring to the genetic modification of embryos to enhance traits, raises concerns about ethical boundaries, potential social implications, and the idea of “playing god” (Xu, 2020). Stem cell research involves ethical questions about the use of human embryos and the potential for medical advancements (Charitos et al., 2021).

My personal worldview from a religious standpoint on abortion is that terminating the life of a fetus is morally wrong, and thus I am personally against it; however, I very much understand that all humans do not practice the same religions and/ or beliefs and therefore I do not push for my standpoint on the matter onto anyone else. Furthermore, my viewpoint from a medically scientific angle as a nurse, I can understand circumstances in which a medical abortion could be considered in life-or-death situations and/or inevitable life-threatening complications.

My viewpoint on designer babies highly reflects my religious viewpoint in that altering the genetic makeup of a human being, that of which was created perfectly in the image of God, is highly unethical. While there have been instances in which this is done purely out of selfish reasons, there are instances in where this has been done to accomplish viability of fetuses which have been created in vitro. Nonetheless, I personally know children who would be considered “designer babies” as their mother specifically wanted a boy and a girl while utilizing in vitro fertilization (IVF) (to increases chances of at least one successful fertilization) and have been saddened to hear about the numerous health complications that the children have been diagnosed with over the years. While this is attributed to the alteration of the genetic makeup on the sexes, IVF complications, or simply maternal and/or paternal history, I firmly believe that playing God is unethical and should be avoided at all costs.

The use of stem cells allows for the substitution of impaired cells, the regeneration of organs, and contributes to a deeper comprehension of the development and progression of diseases (Charitos et al., 2021). In my perspective, each human, created in the image of God, is important and sacred. In terms of embryonic stem cell research, I believe it falls in line with my stance against abortion and thus, am opposed to it. I consider specific types of stem cell research, particularly those that entail the use or destruction of embryos, to be ethically challenging, especially in regard to medical advancements.

References

Charitos, I. A., Ballini, A., Cantore, S., Boccellino, M., Di Domenico, M., Borsani, E., Nocini, R., Di Cosola, M., Santacroce, L., & Bottalico, L. (2021). Stem cells: A historical review about biological, religious, and ethical issues. Stem Cells International, 2021, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/9978837

Kaczor, C. (2022). The ethics of abortion: Women’s rights, human life, and the question of justice. Taylor & Francis.

Xu, M. (2020). CCR5-Δ32 biology, gene editing, and warnings for the future of CRISPR-Cas9 as a human and humane gene editing tool. Cell & bioscience, 10(1), 1-6.