Are designer babies the future? | Diana Fleischman | Just Asking Questions, Ep. 27

Evolutionary psychologist Diana Fleischman discusses IVF, artificial genetic selection, and her unique take on the Ethan Hawke/Uma Thurman movie, "Gattaca."

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Text and links to sources available here: https://reason.com/podcast/2024/06/13...

Are embryos people? And are there downsides to designer babies?

Earlier this year, Alabama's Supreme Court handed down a controversial decision declaring that frozen embryos should be treated as children and, therefore, their destruction be treated legally as a wrongful death, leaving in vitro fertilization clinics with a big problem. Less than a month later, the state's Republican governor, Kay Ivey, signed into law a bill protecting access to IVF treatment in the state. As Reason reported at the time, the court ruling had "caused near-immediate chaos, with three IVF providers in the state shutting down operations." Widespread backlash ensued, including from conservatives like Texas Governor Greg Abbott who told CNN that "We want to make it easier for people to have babies not… make it harder … And the IVF process is a way of giving life to even more babies."

Today's guest is not only pro IVF as an infertility treatment, but pro IVF as a way to select desirable genetic traits for their offspring. Diana Fleischman is an evolutionary psychologist, a regular host of the Aporia podcast, and creator of the Dissentient Substack. Diana, thanks for coming on the show.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:59 Are Embryos People? Exploring Sentience and Moral Value
04:40 Sentience and Utilitarianism: A Deep Dive
09:28 The Wisdom of Repugnance and Moral Disgust
14:55 The Alabama Case: Legal and Moral Implications
21:10 Designer Babies and Genetic Screening
23:36 Gattaca and the Ethics of Genetic Engineering
28:08 Public Opinion on Polygenic Embryo Screening
38:22 Catholic Objections
41:21 Ethical Dilemmas in Genetic Selection
45:17 Religious Perspectives on Genetic Engineering
46:58 The Future of Reproduction and Society
52:54 Personal Reflections on Parenthood and Genetics
01:08:12 Defending Evolutionary Psychology
01:12:51 Final Question