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December 17, 2024 87 mins

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Jeff McMahan, Emeritus Sekyra and White’s Professor of Moral Philosophy at Oxford University, about whether germline gene editing is ever morally preferable to embryo selection and whether and when we should control the genetic outcomes of our children.

(00:00) Our introduction
(06:48) Interview begins
(10:06) Same-child choices and different-child choices
(27:24) Against the comparative view
(31:25) Against the impersonal view
(38:33) In favor of the two-tier view
(45:47) Implications for genetic counseling
(50:08) Other objections to gene editing
(51:36) Treatment versus enhancement
(56:55) Is it morally permissible to control our children’s genes?
(1:02:44) Disability and wellbeing
(1:07:50) The social model of disability
(1:21:09) Reproductive technologies and injustice

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Bio(un)ethical is a bioethics podcast written by Leah Pierson and Sophie Gibert, with editing and production by Ambedo Media (previous production support by Audiolift.co). Our music is written by Nina Khoury and performed by Social Skills. We are supported by a grant from Amplify Creati

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