The key debates concern whether cloning, euthanasia, and abortion respect autonomy, personhood, human dignity, rights, and the value of life. Ethical conclusions differ because philosophical theories assign different importance to intentions, consequences, duties, and individual choice.
In biomedical ethics, these issues can be examined through utilitarianism, which evaluates consequences; deontological ethics, which emphasizes duties and moral rules; and virtue ethics, which considers character and human flourishing.
| Issue | Central ethical debates | Key philosophical considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Cloning | Is creating genetically identical organisms morally permissible? Does cloning treat human life as a product? | Reproductive cloning raises concerns about identity, consent, safety, dignity, and possible eugenics. Therapeutic cloning may produce medical benefits through stem-cell research, but creating and destroying embryos raises questions about their moral status. |
| Euthanasia | May someone intentionally end a life to relieve suffering? Does a competent patient have a right to die? | Supporters emphasize autonomy, compassion, and reduced suffering. Opponents invoke the sanctity of life, professional medical duties, possible coercion, and slippery-slope arguments. Distinctions include voluntary and non-voluntary euthanasia, and active euthanasia versus withdrawing treatment. |
| Abortion | When does a fetus acquire moral status or rights? Can fetal interests override bodily autonomy? | Arguments focus on personhood, potentiality, viability, the pregnant individual’s rights, and consequences for well-being. Deontological approaches may stress a right to life or control over one’s body, while utilitarian approaches compare harms and benefits. |
A common misconception is that each debate is simply “for or against life.” The disputes instead depend on contested concepts: what counts as a person, whether autonomy has limits, and whether killing is morally different from allowing death.
Exam technique
In an IB Philosophy response, define the central concepts, present competing arguments, introduce a counterargument, and evaluate assumptions. Avoid merely stating personal opinions: justify a clear conclusion using philosophical reasoning and apply ethical theories directly to the biomedical case.
