Dissertation committee:
1.Ευ. Πρωτοπαπαδάκη (Επόπτης) Αναπληρωτής καθηγητής εφαρμοσμένης Ηθικής , Τομέας φιλοσοφίας ΕΚΠΑ
2.Σ. Τσινόρεμα (Μέλος) Καθηγήτρια Σύγχρονης, Νεότερης Φιλοσοφίας και Βιοηθικής, Πανεπιστήμιο Κρήτης
3.Χ. Γιαπιτζάκη (Μέλος) Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής Γενετικής στο Τμήμα Ιατρικής του Εθνικού και Καποδιστριακού Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών
4.Β. Νικολαΐδου-Κυριανίδου, Καθηγήτρια πολιτικής φιλοσοφίας, τομέας φιλοσοφίας ΕΚΠΑ
5.Π. Πανταζάκο , Καθηγητής ηθικής φιλοσοφίας ΕΚΠΑ , τομέας φιλοσοφίας
6.Μ. Χωριανοπούλου, Επίκουρη Καθηγήτρια ,Γνωστικό αντικείμενο: Πρακτική Φιλοσοφία - Ιατρική Ηθική τομεας φιλοσοφίας ΕΚΠΑ
7. Ε. Ρεθυμιωτάκη, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια, ΤΟΜΕΑΣ, Ιστορίας & Θεωρίας δικαίου Νομική Αθήνας
Summary:
If this dissertation could be summarized in a single phrase it would be the way
and the degree in which contemporary genetic technologies affect the prosperity and
the welfare of future generations of the human species. However, the matters that are
examined, the approaches taking place and the answers that are partly given are many
more and cover multiple scientific fields. The core of this research study contains the
rights of future generations in regards to genetic practices, genetic engineering and
biotechnology. For the conduction of results, there is a lengthy data analysis which
results from legal sciences, biology, sociology, anthropology and undoubtedly
philosophy, moral and bioethical.
The dissertation gives answers as to which the future generations are, which are
the types of genetic procedures that create ethical dilemmas, what are the ways of
genetic interventions that cause ethical discussions on human rights, legal and ethical,
of future generations, how contemporary genetic evolutions affect humans of the future
and in what way genetic and biotechnological applications will affect the societies that
will be formed by future generations. It is supported that future generations comprise
a type of a larger category of humans of the future, who have specific traits that make
them distinguishable, that genetic interventions and stem technologies that genetically
alter humans of future generations are ethically unacceptable, especially when their
required control is not ensured, that the application of these genetic practices in
contemporary people targets the prosperity and life of humans of the future, who are
threatened by the disappearance of their genetic variability.
The present study focuses on genetic biotechnologies which target more on
enhancement and less on cure or prevention. In this framework, enhancement is defined
and the changes that may occur in the lives of future generations are specified. In
regards to social justice, the repercussions of genetic enhancement are examined and
the promotion and funding of all the processes which may bring forth greater benefits
for society are proposed. In order to clarify the effect of an advanced geneticengineering application, the CRISPR-CAS9 study case is introduced, as well as the
issues that arise from its implementation in a judicial and ethical level. Since it is
ascertained that the genetic engineering technology and its intervention in the way a
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person lives cannot be safely approached by the trans-genetic and distributive theories
in justice, the final chapters of the dissertation include ethical and moral control.
Specifically, the need for ethical autonomy is evinced in contrast to individual
naturalistic autonomy and free will, in order to make it clear that there will be relative
separation of genetic interventions in regards to future generations. At the same time,
the importance of ethical rights to dignity and to the future of rational individuals, as
well as the ethical composition of constitutional rights of humans are emphasized.
Through bioethical evaluation of genetic technologies it is implied that their rational
use depends on the respect towards the moral and ethical duty of recognizing the
rational ethic subjectivity of the future human.
Keywords:
genetic engineering, biotechnology, future generations, human rights, justice, autonomy, ethics, bioethics
