Fetal tissue research is very creepy and discomfiting. However, the abortions have already taken place. What is done is done and cannot be undone. Or, to put another way; the moving hand writes, and having writ, moves on.
For centuries medicine was held back by the creepy, discomfiting feelings we held toward the dissection of corpses. This is exactly the same situation.
Reverence and respect for the dead should not cause the living to join them.
As Xenophon put it, “Excess of grief for the dead is madness; for it is an injury to the living, and the dead know it not.”
Footnote: I shall confess my embarrassment. I tried to find the exact quote and I couldn’t understand what was wrong with Google. Why couldn’t I find it? The answer is because I was looking for the quote by Xenophenes, not Xenophon. In self-defense I point out that the names are very similar, and their life spans were fairly close to each other. Not to mention, they were both Greek philosophers. (All Greek philosophers sound alike to me.)🧐
My embarrassments usually entail soiling myself so mixing up two ancient Greek philosophers is the kindest of picadillos.
ReplyDeleteI didn't make the connection from the title to this post, until I looked up the Burke and Hare reference. Grizzly!
I can only see three arguments for fetal tissue research bans: fetal tissue is a) a sacred substance (beyond that of a human corpse), b) a profane substance (it is the product of evil), or c) its use increases incentives for harvesting more in the future (implying scarcity). While I suppose I'm sympathetic to variations of B, none of these are sufficient for me to reject their constructive use toward advancing human wisdom and flourishing.