If Marc is Suzanne’s father, does it follow that Suzanne is Marc’s child? An experimental philosophy study in reproductive ethics
(2025) In Journal of Medical Ethics 51(6). p.411-415- Abstract
- In this paper, we report the results from an experimental reproductive ethics study exploring questions about reproduction and parenthood. The main finding in our study is that, while we may assume that everyone understands these concepts and their relationship in the same way, this assumption may be unwarranted. For example, we may assume that if ‘x is y’s father’, it follows that ‘y is x’s child’. However, the participants in our study did not necessarily agree that it does follow. This means, at the very least, that we need to make sure all parties in a debate have the same relationships in mind when talking about reproduction and parenthood. Moreover, it gives us reason to explore more carefully the conditions which support or... (More)
- In this paper, we report the results from an experimental reproductive ethics study exploring questions about reproduction and parenthood. The main finding in our study is that, while we may assume that everyone understands these concepts and their relationship in the same way, this assumption may be unwarranted. For example, we may assume that if ‘x is y’s father’, it follows that ‘y is x’s child’. However, the participants in our study did not necessarily agree that it does follow. This means, at the very least, that we need to make sure all parties in a debate have the same relationships in mind when talking about reproduction and parenthood. Moreover, it gives us reason to explore more carefully the conditions which support or undermine the connections between these concepts. This cannot come from purely theoretical reasoning, nor from empirical research alone, but from the alliance between the two. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/0e77ff0e-67c8-47c1-80bd-d7ffe551de69
- author
- Hens, Kristien ; Moormann, Emma ; Smajdor, Anna and Cutas, Daniela LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- XPhi, reproductive ethics, fatherhood, gamete donation, genetic ties
- in
- Journal of Medical Ethics
- volume
- 51
- issue
- 6
- pages
- 411 - 415
- publisher
- BMJ Publishing Group
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:39174294
- scopus:85204357113
- ISSN
- 1473-4257
- DOI
- 10.1136/jme-2023-109808
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 0e77ff0e-67c8-47c1-80bd-d7ffe551de69
- date added to LUP
- 2024-08-23 10:47:12
- date last changed
- 2025-05-23 11:12:17
@article{0e77ff0e-67c8-47c1-80bd-d7ffe551de69,
abstract = {{In this paper, we report the results from an experimental reproductive ethics study exploring questions about reproduction and parenthood. The main finding in our study is that, while we may assume that everyone understands these concepts and their relationship in the same way, this assumption may be unwarranted. For example, we may assume that if ‘x is y’s father’, it follows that ‘y is x’s child’. However, the participants in our study did not necessarily agree that it does follow. This means, at the very least, that we need to make sure all parties in a debate have the same relationships in mind when talking about reproduction and parenthood. Moreover, it gives us reason to explore more carefully the conditions which support or undermine the connections between these concepts. This cannot come from purely theoretical reasoning, nor from empirical research alone, but from the alliance between the two.}},
author = {{Hens, Kristien and Moormann, Emma and Smajdor, Anna and Cutas, Daniela}},
issn = {{1473-4257}},
keywords = {{XPhi; reproductive ethics; fatherhood; gamete donation; genetic ties}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{6}},
pages = {{411--415}},
publisher = {{BMJ Publishing Group}},
series = {{Journal of Medical Ethics}},
title = {{If Marc is Suzanne’s father, does it follow that Suzanne is Marc’s child? An experimental philosophy study in reproductive ethics}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jme-2023-109808}},
doi = {{10.1136/jme-2023-109808}},
volume = {{51}},
year = {{2025}},
}