Genetics and the Quality of Life

Genetics and the Quality of Life covers the papers and report of a consultation on Genetics and the Quality of Life, held in Zurich on June 25-29, 1973, organized by the sub-unit on Church and Society of the World Council of Churches in cooperation with the Christian Medical Commission. The book focuses on the interrelation of genetics and quality of life.

The selection first elaborates on genetics and moral responsibility and ethics and the new biology. Discussions focus on breakdown of values, genetically determined debility versus socially determined debility, ethical problems, and genetic inequality and moral responsibility. The text then examines ethical issues raised by eugenics, judging the social values of scientific advances, ethical problems raised by genetics, and problems raised by eugenics in Africa. Topics include the right to an adequate physical and mental endowment, genetic engineering, euphenics, constraints imposed by genetics, fertilization of human ova in vitro, and ethical questions in eugenics.

The manuscript reviews findings on genetics and the quality of life, sociogenetic problems and public opinion, social and ethical problems in caring for genetically handicapped children, ethical problems in genetic counselling, and psychological issues in counselling the genetically handicapped.

The selection is a dependable source of information for researchers interested in the connection of genetics and quality of life.

Part I Introduction

Part II Ethical and Political Issues Raised by Genetics

1 Genetics and Moral Responsibility

2 Ethics and the New Biology

3 Ethical Issues Raised by Eugenics: An Orthodox and Asian Perspective

4 Judging the Social Values of Scientific Advances

5 Ethical Problems Raised by Genetics

6 Problems Raised by Eugenics in Africa

7 Genetic Manipulation as a Political Issue

Part III Foetal Diagnosis, Abortion and Genetic Screening

8 Foetal Diagnosis and Selective Abortion: An Ethical Exploration

9 Ethical Problems in Foetal Diagnosis and Abortion

10 An Ethical View of Abortion

11 Ethical Issues in Foetal Diagnosis and Abortion

12 Legal Issues in Foetal Diagnosis and Abortion

13 Genetic Consequences of Abortion

14 Sickle Cell Disease—Life or Death?

Part IV Genetic Counselling

15 Psychological Issues in Counselling the Genetically Handicapped

16 Ethical Problems in Genetic Counselling

17 Social and Ethical Problems in Caring for Genetically Handicapped Children

18 Sociogenetic Problems and Public Opinion

Part V Findings and Recommendations

19 Findings on Genetics and the Quality of Life

Glossary

Participants

Index