PHIL 100 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Sex Selection, Reproductive Rights, Harm Principle
Document Summary
The right-based liberal approach in favor of sex selection for social reasons is inappropriate when dealing with sex selection for social purposes. Under this framework, reproductive choice and parental autonomy are basic freedoms. Interference with individuals" autonomous reproductive and parental choices is illegitimate, unless their actions can be shown to clearly and seriously harm others. If sex selection cannot reasonably be understood as falling within the scope of reproductive freedom, then this practice need not be accorded the presumptive protection that proponents of sex selection endorse. Robertson: for procreative liberty to implicate sex selection, the preference for a child of a particular sex cannot be simply a mere preference. It needs to be a necessary condition of a decision to have a child at all. One has a right to articulate and present one"s beliefs, arguments, and opinions, but that does not entail a right to do so in any particular forum.
