genetically enhancing children are too influential to ignore. Therefore, arguably,
parents are morally blameworthy if they choose not to enhance their children against
potential diseases, just as they are if they refuse vaccination. However, parents equally
are morally blameworthy if they choose to use genetic engineering to eradicate or
create genetic disabilities in their children. Overall, as we have seen, the status of
whether genetic enhancement of children by parents is a moral duty and their moral
blameworthiness in refusing is not static and entirely dependent on context, intent, and
potential consequences within and beyond the immediate family unit. This conclusion,
of course, however, is the case for genetic enhancements in the context of disabilities
and disease. However, this essay has not tackled genetic enhancements in other areas,
such as intelligence or musical ability, and whether or not genetic enhancements to
‘improve’ children in ways beyond disability is a moral obligation is perhaps another
discussion entirely.
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