Vermelding onderdeel organisatie

April 13, 2023

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The Good, The Bad, and the UglyMoral and a-moral emotions in bioethics

Den Haag, Moral Emotions and Intuitions conference

David Koepsell

Delft University of Technology

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Background

• Some modern bio-conservatives (notably Leon Kass), have argued that appeal to the “yuck factor” is warranted in making decisions in bioethics

• This is because: if emotions are to be properly considered in ethical decision-making, then disgust, revulsion, and similar visceral emotions ought to be taken into account.

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Background

• But are emotions of disgust in bioethics on equal ground with other emotions in guiding ethical decision-making?

• From my moral-realist perspective, in which rights are grounded upon brute facts

• This depends upon determining whether there are brute-fact-based rights involved, and whether disgust is derived from, or impedes rights

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Background

• I am not a bioconservative. I have argued that genetic engineering, for instance, is ethically persmissible (with some minor exceptions - where rights are impeded) • See, 2007 "The Ethics of Genetic

Engineering," Policy "White" Paper, Center for Inquiry, Transnational. Published August 28, 2007. http://centerforinquiry.net/opp/opp_work/category/positions

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Background

• But I oppose the patenting of unmodified genes. The logic behind my argument is rights-based, whereas I argue that the logic behind GMO-opponents is largely based upon disgust or revulsion.

• Hypothesis:• Both rights and disgust provoke emotions,

but they are not equal, nor should they be considered equally in decision-making about bioethics.

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The good

• Recent research suggests that our responses to justice are hard-wired:

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The good

• If true, then a sense of justice seems biologically-determined, and our emotional responses grounded in brute-facts:

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The bad

• Do our emotional responses about justice reflect grounded rights?

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The bad

• Is our sense of equality grounded in evolutionary truths hard-wired in our brains?

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The bad

• In other words, is justice a real concept, grounded in biology, and reflected in emotions?

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If so, then how should we balance emotions regarding justice with other emotions? Are they all equal?

Anecdotal evidence

• My work on gene patenting provokes in my audiences an emotional response, but it is not fear or disgust

• The typical response is anger. “you mean they own my genes?”

• I believe this is an appropriate and justified emotional response to an incursion upon individual autonomy, or a violation of a right to the “comkons by necssity”… or spaces that cannot justly be owned.

Anecdotal evidence

• Disgust and revulsion over biological phenomena are, I belive, rooted in fear.

• “Frankenfoods,” “test tube babies,” and genetic manipulation of higher orgamnisms threaten our sense of the biologically “normal” or expected. These are the things of ancient and modern horros stories.

• We are disgusted because they frighten us, rather than anger us. But we can look to horror stories to see the conflict between fear and righteous anger, where rights become involved.

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The uglyBiology provokes different sorts of emotions, namely those described

as disgust, revulsion, and accounting for the “yuck factor” promoted by some as a valid measure for ethical-decision making

Our responses to the biologically foreign or disturbing have long been the source of topics for horror stories, and also seem biologically-determined.

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The ugly

Nineteenth-century freak-showscapitalized onour revulsions

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The ugly

Joseph Merrick…

The “Elephant Man”

Treated first as a freak

… only later as a man,with rights

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The uglyModern horror … “Dren”

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The ugly

Classic horror

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The ugly

Modern horror “the Fly”

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Conflict between disgust and justiceIn each of these true and fictional scenarios, weare conflicted. Physical revulsion vs. justice.

Freaks, Joseph Merrick, Dren, Frankenstein’s monsterand Seth Brundle are all victims of our (or some)disgust.

Revulsion violates rights, and this is unjust.

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Conflict between disgust and justice

Fear of predators, like snakes, spiders, disease,seem to be the bases for our biological sense of disgust.

So, is fear a good basis for ethical decision-making?

Perhaps, but not where it conflicts with rights.Past injustices illustrate the dangers.

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Conclusions

• Not all emotions should be treated equally in ethical decision-making in bioethics.

• While our emotional responses to injustice and fear are grounded in brute-facts, rights should trump fear

• After all, spiders, snakes, and other monsters are often not only harmless, but may themselves deserve rights.