Abstract

ANCHONDO PAVON, Sandra  and  GALLARDO MACIP, Cecilia. The perfection of vulnerable lives. Genetic modification and disability. Med. ética [online]. 2021, vol.32, n.2, pp.483-552.  Epub Aug 14, 2023. ISSN 2594-2166.  https://doi.org/10.36105/mye.2021v32n2.04.

The theorists that defend gene editing techniques without any conservatism argue that they will increase our capabilities and will also avoid unnecessary pain and some types of human suffering. Transhumanist authors such as Nick Bostrom, Natasha Vita-More and Max More not only underestimate the risks of using biotechnology -such as the CRISPR-CAS9 technique- they also assume that living a full human life is directly related to the full enjoyment of our physical and intellectual abilities dismissing some kinds of disabilities. However, disability theorists insist that human limitations should not be seen through the lens of misfortune or in a tragic way; on the contrary, they argue that it is possible to live practically from functional diversity (or disability). Therefore, in this article we will try to test both assumptions based on the idea of disability and, in that way, show if necessarily happiness depends strongly on the functionality of the human body.

Keywords : disability; transhumanism; CRISPR-CAS9; genetic engineering; suffering.