Children on Demand: The Ethics of Defying Nature (New South Books)

Children on Demand examines the ethics of various forms of alternative parenthood, focusing specifically on adoption and assisted reproductive technologies, and the moral dilemmas they create for both individuals and the state. Tom Frame discusses the ethical challenges that arise when scientific possibilities get ahead of community consensus. The central question of this comprehensive, careful and challenging book is what is best for the child? "This is a book that starts of by acknowledging the pain of infertility for many people and then examines the options for conceiving that have developed so rapidly since Louise Brown the first 'test tube baby' was born 30 years ago. Tom Frame argues that ethics, law and community desires haven't been able to keep up with technological advancement, and that this is a problem. He starts by looking at adoption, and includes details about his own experience as an adoptee. He writes about sperm and egg donors, asking whether it's fair that they be allowed to remain anonymous; he writes about IVF and surrogacy and finishes by writing about cases where women have asked to use the dead husbands' stored sperm to become preganant. He looks at science, religion, philosophy, ethics but his starting point is always 'what's best for the child'. His view that the ideal family is a mother, a father and a child will create some controversy."--Provided by publisher. Contents......Page 5 Introduction......Page 7 Dealing with infertility......Page 18 Personal, philosophical and political contexts......Page 29 Children and parents......Page 30 Nature and nurture:does biology affect identity?......Page 50 Reproduction and the state: protection, paternalism and prudence......Page 70 Nontechnological responses to childlessness......Page 91 Adoption: ancient and modern......Page 92 Can adoption be rehabilitated?......Page 111 Technological responses to childlessness......Page 129 The ‘art’ of artificial conception......Page 130 The perils of surrogacy: compassion and commercialism......Page 155 Making parents of the dead:is it such a bad idea?......Page 174 Caring for children or just defying nature?......Page 189 Notes......Page 208 Index......Page 219