Family History

Abstract

In nine lively essays, bioethicist J. David Velleman challenges the prevailing consensus about assisted suicide and reproductive technology, articulating an original approach to the ethics of creating and ending human lives. He argues that assistance in dying is appropriate only at the point where talk of suicide is not, and he raises moral objections to anonymous donor conception. In their place, Velleman champions a morality of valuing personhood over happiness in making end-of-life decisions, and respecting the personhood of future children in making decisions about procreation. These controversial views are defended with philosophical rigor while remaining accessible to the general reader. Written over Velleman's 30 years of undergraduate teaching in bioethics, the essays have never before been collected and made available to a non-academic audience. They will open new lines of debate on issues of intense public interest.

Full text

Electronic copy available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1006993
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             
 
             


         



         


        
               

           
             

            

  
          
           
 
∗
     
            


Electronic copy available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1006993
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           
           
 
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    
           
    
            
 
  

            
        

           
 
          

 
             
         
          


             

            
 
          


        


 
  

 
           

         
   
          
        

          

         


            
          



 
           


             


              
   
      

         
  
  
    
             
      
             
              
 
 





         
 


  


            



           


            
            
 
            

 
  



        
           
           

               
           
        
 

          


           
 
             
           


 
   
        
            
 
          
 

           

            
         


 
            

 
         
         


         
          


    
         
           
         
  





    

     
           

              

          

         
          
 
  
          
          
 


          



          



  

              
  


 
            

        
              

           
            
  
              


 

           
         
          
 
            


 
           
       
        

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          

   
 

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            
         
          
        
        
           

            
  
  
  
 
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
 




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
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         
            
 
 

  
         
            
 
          

           
           
          

   

           
           
 
 

 
           
         

             
  
 
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          
          
         

 
       
 

          



     
 
 

         
 
         
         





            
 

             
  
  

          
       
 
          




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
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         


  
       





       

           
 

   
         
        





 



             





 


 







              


             

             




     


       


            


           

     
      
 
 
           

          
         

         


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
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


             
 
   



  

          
               
 
         
           



          

               
            


       
             
 
          
          
        


 
  
             
 
      


 
          
             
          
           
 
     

       
         
            
 

          
          

          
  
         
          

          
 
           
       

 
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         




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
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 
             
 


           



 
          
             
      
 
  
 
 
           
             


  
           
 
            



           
            
        

        

 
  
 



 
      
  
   
        
        
   
           
     
   
   
          
          



         

  
      
  
         




           
 





        
  


  
             
     

           
 



    

     
              

 
           
 
 
           
         


        

  

             
           
 


 




 


        
     

        
 
        
           

           
 
          
         
           



       

             
    

     

 
 


   
 


      
 

 
          
  






            

           

           
 
          
            
         
 


  
           

 


           
            
            
   
              

           




 
 
 
             
        

             
            

 
            
 
   
     

        
         
         
 
            






 
          

            
          


           
          

             
          
        
           
           

  

            







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

  

 
  
        
            

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  
              
 
    


        
           
              

 
    
 

      
       



             



 


 
 

        
  
 
      
 
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  
          
   
 

 


 
           
 
            

 

             
           
          
        
            
            

              
          



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
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             
           
 
            
            

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 
 
 
 
        


             
          


           
