Abstract
Rather recent efforts to affect the human germ-line by means of gene therapy Suzuki and Knudtson describe as a transition from the study of “mortal soma” to “immortal germ plasm” (1989, p. 203; Heyd, 1992; Hubbard and Wald, 1993, pp. 113-116). Only mentioning this scientific process, I turn to the political philosophy and mechanisms that have proven efficacious when permitting and funding genetic engineers, who live and work in democratic republics, not only to acquire and possess but also to control the use of knowledge acquired by germ-line engineering that bears critically on the lives not only of temporally contiguous but of temporally distant unborn generations. I refer to Human Dignity and Genetic Heritage (a study paper published by the Law Reform Commission of Canada in 1991) observing that as an example of “bureaucratic bioethics” it does not adequately address the bearing of the results of genetic engineering on future generations. I then introduce the notion of accountability and argue for its importance in guiding decisionmakers in democracies which rely on approval by the people. I conclude that since there is neither a fixed human nature nor human genome, that geneticists be held accountable to others — who must exercise democratic safeguards — as these scientists conduct their research by adhering to the prevailing normative standards of scientific inquiry.
“ Is genetic engineering the promise of a Golden Age? Or does it presage an apocalypse?”
—Dr. Michel Salomon
“Neither one....”
—Dr. Jean Bernard
(Solomon, 1983,p.283)
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Spicker, S.F. (1998). The Unknowable Effects of Genetic Interventions on Future Generations (or, Who Guards the Genetic Engineers in Democratic Republics?). In: Agius, E., Busuttil, S. (eds) Germ-Line Intervention and Our Responsibilities to Future Generations. Philosophy and Medicine, vol 55. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5149-8_12
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