Contemporary Issues in Applied Ethics – CUET PG Philosophy – Notes

Applied Ethics: An Introduction

Applied ethics is a branch of moral philosophy that deals with the practical application of ethical theories to real-world situations and moral dilemmas. Unlike normative ethics, which focuses on what is morally right and wrong in general, or meta-ethics, which examines the nature of moral language and judgments, applied ethics confronts specific, often controversial, issues. It seeks to provide a framework for making decisions in fields like medicine, law, business, and technology. This field requires a deep understanding of ethical principles and the ability to analyze complex factual scenarios to determine a morally defensible course of action.

Surrogacy: Ethical Dimensions

Surrogacy is an arrangement, often supported by a legal agreement, whereby a woman agrees to bear a child for another person or persons, who will become the child’s parent(s) after birth. The ethical landscape of surrogacy is complex, involving questions of autonomy, exploitation, commodification, and the very nature of parenthood.

Types of Surrogaсу:

• Traditional Surrogacy: In this arrangement, the surrogate mother is also the egg donor. She is artificially inseminated with the sperm of the intended father or a donor. The resulting child is genetically related to both the surrogate mother and the intended father. This method is less common today due to the complex emotional and legal issues arising from the surrogate’s genetic link to the child.
• Gestational Surrogacy: This is the more prevalent form of surrogacy. An embryo is created using an egg from the intended mother or a donor and sperm from the intended father or a donor through In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). This embryo is then transferred to the uterus of the surrogate, who has no genetic connection to the child she carries. The surrogate acts as a “gestational carrier.”