Abstract
The status of human embryos is discussedparticularly in the light of the claim by Fox,in Health Care Analysis 8 that itwould be useful to think of them in terms ofcyborg metaphors.It is argued that we should consider humanembryos for what they are – partiallyformed human bodies – rather than for what theyare like in some respects (and unlike inothers) – cyborgs.However to settle the issue of the status ofthe embryo is not to answer the moral questionswhich arise concerning how embryos should betreated. Since persons rather than bodies haverights, embryos do not have rights. However,whether or not embryos have rights, people canhave duties concerning them. Furthermore, thepersons whose fully developed bodies embryoswill, might (or might have) become can haverights. Contrary to what is often assumed, itis not merely persons who have (or have had)living, developed human bodies who have moralrights: so it is argued in this paper.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Brazier, M., Campbell, A, and Golombok, S. (1998) Surrogacy: Review for Health Ministers of Current Arrangements for Payments and Regulations; Report of the Review Team. CM 4068.
Campbell, A.V. (2000) Surrogacy, Rights and Duties: A Partial Commentary. Health Care Analysis 8, 35–40.
Fox, M. (2000) Pre-Persons, Commodities or Cyborgs: The Legal Construction and Representation of the Embryo. Health Care Analysis 8, 171–181.
Harris, J. (2000) The Welfare of the Child. Health Care Analysis 8, 27–34.
McLachlan, H.V. (1977) Must We Accept Either the Conservative or the Liberal View on Abortion? Analysis 37, 197–204.
McLachlan, H.V. (1993) Warnock and Research on Human Embryos: A Case for a Re-Appraisal of the Fertilisation and Embryology Act (1990). International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy 13, 110–119.
McLachlan, H.V. (1995) On Producing Embryos for Research. The Philosopher 21, 2–11.
McLachlan, H.V. (1997) Bodies, Rights and Abortion. Journal of Medical Ethics 23, 176–180.
McLachlan, H.V. and Swales, J.K. (2000) Babies, Child Bearers and Commodification: Anderson, Brazier et al., and the Political Economy of Commercial Surrogate Motherhood. Health Care Analysis 8, 1–18.
Warnock, M. (1985) A Question of Life: The Warnock Report on Human Fertilisation and Embryology. Oxford: Blackwell.