Lecture on Michael Sandel's 'Against Perfection'

Summary

In this talk, Michael Sandel's argument from 'The Case Against Perfection' is explored. Sandel contends that genetic engineering for enhancement purposes, whether for oneself or future children, is unethical. He contrasts therapeutic uses with enhancement, claiming that the latter undermines the natural 'giftedness' of human abilities. Using analogies from athletics and parenting, Sandel argues that genetic enhancement corrupts both the authenticity of personal achievements and the unconditional love parents should have for their children, shifting toward a problematic mindset of control and perfection over natural traits.

Takeaways

• 📜 Michael Sandel's piece 'The Case Against Perfection' argues that genetic engineering for enhancement purposes is unethical, while therapeutic purposes are a different matter.
• 🧬 Sandel's central thesis is that genetic enhancement undermines the 'giftedness' of human character and achievement.
• 🎽 He draws parallels between genetic enhancement and athletic performance, highlighting how enhancement in sports (e.g., performance-enhancing drugs) is morally problematic.
• 👶 Sandel emphasizes the ethical issues surrounding prenatal genetic enhancement, often associated with 'designer babies'.
• 💉 One common argument against enhancement is that it diminishes the agency of individuals, making achievements less about personal effort and more about external factors (like drugs or genetic engineering).
• 🎁 Sandel does not focus on agency but argues that genetic enhancement undermines the 'gifted' nature of human abilities and life.
• 🙏 Recognizing the giftedness of life fosters virtues like humility and a sense of things being beyond our control.
• ⚖️ The tension between 'accepting love' and 'transforming love' in parenting is central to Sandel's argument, as genetic enhancement shifts the balance toward transforming love, making children objects of design.
• 🔬 Sandel responds to objections that we already improve children through acceptable means (e.g., education, nutrition), arguing that genetic enhancement promotes a problematic societal trend toward perfectionism.
• 🚸 Sandel draws a parallel between genetic engineering and selective abortion based on traits, suggesting that both practices reflect morally troubling eugenic preferences.

Q & A

What is Michael Sandel's main argument in 'The Case Against Perfection'?

Sandel argues that genetic engineering for enhancement purposes is unethical because it undermines the 'giftedness' of human life, talents, and achievements.

How does Sandel differentiate between genetic enhancement and therapeutic genetic engineering?

Sandel distinguishes between genetic enhancement, which aims to improve certain human capacities for non-medical reasons, and therapeutic genetic engineering, which aims to cure or prevent diseases. He finds the latter morally acceptable but the former problematic.

What does Sandel mean by the 'giftedness of life'?

The 'giftedness of life' refers to the idea that our talents and abilities are not entirely of our own making but rather gifts of nature. This concept emphasizes humility and an acceptance of our natural limits.

How does Sandel relate the concept of 'giftedness' to athletic competition?

Sandel argues that athletic competition celebrates the cultivation and display of natural talents. Enhancing athletes' abilities through genetic engineering or performance-enhancing drugs undermines this natural giftedness, corrupting the integrity of the sport.

What is the difference between 'accepting love' and 'transforming love' according to Sandel?

Accepting love involves unconditional love for children as they are, while transforming love seeks to improve and change them for their well-being. Sandel argues that genetic enhancement threatens the balance between these two forms of love, favoring transforming love over accepting love.

How does genetic engineering undermine the parent-child relationship, according to Sandel?

Sandel believes that genetically engineering children risks treating them as objects of design, which undermines the unconditional, accepting love that is essential to good parenting.

What objection does Sandel address regarding the improvement of children?

Sandel addresses the objection that we improve children all the time through methods like education and nutrition, which can also affect their biology. The objection argues that genetic enhancement is no different from these accepted practices.

How does Sandel respond to the objection that improving children through genetic engineering is no different from other forms of improvement?

Sandel argues that genetic enhancement highlights a societal demand for perfection and performance, which undermines the acceptance of life's natural gifts. He views this as the deeper moral issue with genetic engineering.

What is Sandel's analogy between genetic engineering and abortion?

Sandel draws a parallel between genetic engineering and selective abortion, suggesting that both practices involve choosing or rejecting children based on specific traits, which he sees as morally troubling.

Why does Sandel think genetically enhancing children is morally problematic?

Sandel believes that genetically enhancing children undermines the giftedness of life and risks reducing children to objects of parental design. This, in turn, distorts the natural parent-child relationship and promotes a troubling trend of hyper-parenting focused on perfection.