Human Enhancement and Reproductive Ethics on Generation Ship
Author(s)
Umbrello, Steven
Date Issued
2023
Type
article
Start Page
1
End Page
15
Journal
Abstract
The past few years have seen a resurgence in the public interest in space flight and
travel. Spurred mainly by the likes of technology billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff
Bezos, the topic poses both unique scientific as well as ethical challenges. This paper
looks at the concept of generation ships, conceptual behemoth ships whose goal is to
bring a group of human settlers to distant exoplanets. These ships are designed to host
multiple generations of people who will be born, live, and die on these ships long
before they reach their destination. This paper takes reproductive ethics as its lens to
look at how genetic enhancement interventions can and should be used not only to
ensure that future generations of offspring on the ships, and eventual exoplanet colonies,
live a minimally good life but that their births are contingent on them living
genuinely good and fulfilling lives. The paper further claims that if such a thesis holds,
it also does so for human enhancement on Earth.
Subjects