Eugenics, Disability, and Bioethics

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference paperChapterpeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper begins by saying enough about eugenics to explain why disability is central to eugenics (section 2), then elaborates on why cognitive disability has played and continues to play a special role in eugenics and in thinking about moral status (section 3) before identifying three reasons why eugenics remains a live issue in contemporary bioethics (section 4). After a reminder of the connections between Nazi eugenics, medicine, and bioethics (section 5), it returns to take up two more specific clusters of issues at the intersection of eugenics, disability, and bioethics. These concern questions of life, death, and reproductive value (section 6) and the value of standpoint theory and epistemology for understanding some of the tensions between bioethics and disability in light of a shared eugenic past (section 7).
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Disability Bioethics Reader
EditorsJoel Reynolds, Christine Wieseler
Place of PublicationNew York
PublisherRoutledge
Chapter2
Pages21-29
Number of pages9
ISBN (Electronic)9781000587173
ISBN (Print)9780367220020
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2022

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Eugenics, Disability, and Bioethics'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this