Examining the Moral and Ethical Dilemmas of Creating Savior Siblings

Abstract

This study examines the moral and ethical aspects of creating savior siblings using Kant’s moral-philosophical theory and Beauchamp and Childress’s (B&C) principles of medical ethics. In this study, the researchers argue that three of the four clusters of the principles of B&C framework are derived from common morality and Kant’s ethics. Besides, the second part of this article is designed as a moral qualitative question in order to see to what extent different participants from three different countries (i.e., Iraq, Iran, and the United States) would react to the moral situation of creating savior siblings. The results show how creating savior siblings violate the Kantian categorical imperative that prohibits the use of anyone as a mere means to someone else’s end. Also, through applying B&C ethical framework, it is found that the creation of savior siblings violates Beauchamp and Childress’ principles of medical ethics. Furthermore, the results of examining the moral and ethical dilemmas of creating savior siblings from the participants’ responses show that, in the 21st century, people from Iraq, Iran, and America practice morality and moral rules in their decisions. Also, the researchers found that Iraqi and Iranian people think more within a religious framework in deciding about moral cases than Americans.

Keywords

• morality
• medical ethics
• savior siblings
• dilemma