Ethics and the epigenetic challenge - a bioethical study across the human lifespan
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Abstract
This PhD thesis is about epigenetics and its implications for ethics throughout the human lifespan. It contains 10 single-authored academic articles. At the time of the writing, 8 of them have been published in peer-reviewed journals in philosophy and bioethics. I start by examining what moral responsibilities we have towards people who do not yet exist (and who might never come into existence). Recent developments in epigenetics indicate that the lifestyle choices we make in the present affect the health and well-being of our future offspring. I make the argument that we are partly morally responsible for the health and wellbeing of our future offspring. I consider whether the argument, which I call the epigenetic responsibility thesis can be overcome. When considering counter-arguments, I examine the moral status of embryos and fetuses, criticize a new pro-life position and advance a particular pro-choice position. I also present a puzzle for those who generally accept abortions, but who have trouble with accepting fetal reduction (aborting of one the twin fetuses). In a series of papers, I focus on human age and ageing. I argue that in some cases people should be allowed to change how old they officially are since there are many plausible approaches to the concepts of age and ageing – one being biological age that can be estimated through our epigenetic clocks. I defend the idea of legal age change against the counter-arguments from my critics. The methodological approach used throughout the thesis involves frequent thought experiments and analogies. I will critically examine and advance the arguments presented by others and start new conversations. The methodological choices are explained in the introductory section. The scientific background, as well as the key concepts, will also be comprehensively explored. The thesis advances the field of philosophical bioethics by producing new original research on the ethics of epigenetics throughout the human lifespan.List of papers
Paper I. Räsänen, J. Epigenetic responsibility thesis. Unpublished manuscript. To be published. The paper is removed from the thesis in DUO awaiting publishing. |
Paper II. Räsänen, J. (2020). Against the impairment argument: a reply to Hendricks. Bioethics, 34(8), 862–864. An author version is included in the thesis. The published version is available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/bioe.12720 |
Paper III. Räsänen, J. Defending the de-dicto approach to the non-identity problem. Unpublished manuscript. To be published. The paper is removed from the thesis in DUO awaiting publishing. |
Paper IV. Räsänen, J. (2021). Liberal utilitarianism – yes, but for whom? Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics, 30(2), 368–375. An author version is included in the thesis. The published version is available at: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0963180120000894 |
Paper V. Räsänen, J. (2020). Twin pregnancy, fetal reduction and the ‘all or nothing problem’. Journal of Medical Ethics. An author version is included in the thesis. The published version is available at: https://doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2020-106938 |
Paper VI. Räsänen, J. (2020). Schrödinger’s fetus. Medicine, Health Care & Philosophy, 23(1), 125–130. An author version is included in the thesis. The published version is available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11019-019-09916-4 |
Paper VII. Räsänen, J. (2021). Age and aging: what do they mean? Ratio, 34(1), 33–43. An author version is included in the thesis. The published version is available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/rati.12284 |
Paper VIII. Räsänen, J. (2019). Moral case for legal age change. Journal of Medical Ethics, 45(7), 461–464. An author version is included in the thesis. The published version is available at: https://doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2018-105294 |
Paper IX. Räsänen, J. (2019). Further defence of legal age change: a reply to the critics. Journal of Medical Ethics, 45(7), 471–472. An author version is included in the thesis. The published version is available at: https://doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2019-105547 |
Paper X. Räsänen, J. (2020). Age change in healthcare settings: a reply to Lippert-Rasmussen and Petersen. Journal of Medical Ethics 46(9), 636–637. An author version is included in the thesis. The published version is available at: https://doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2020-106144 |