Ethics of Genetic Enhancement and Diminished Achievements: Revisiting Gwen Bradford’s Account of Valuable Achievements
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Abstract
Genetic enhancement refers to the use of genome editing technologies, such as CRISPR/Cas9, to improve human capacities beyond medical indications. Critics argue that genetic enhancement could lead to diminished achievements. I call this objection “the diminished achievement argument.” This argument is articulated by Gwen Bradford’s account of valuable achievements which holds that difficulty is a source of value for achievements.
In this paper, I defend Gwen Bradford's account of valuable achievements from three objections: the problem of absurdly difficult tasks, the problem that achievements attained by people who have a great deal of skill or ability appear less valuable, and the problem of lucky achievements. I argue that, based on Bradford's account of valuable achievements, genetic enhancement diminishes the value of human achievements. Nonetheless, I maintain that the diminished achievement argument does not entail the impermissibility of the use of genetic enhancement.
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