The question of disability in the post-human debate. Critical remarks
Autor | Chiara Gatti |
Cargo | Centro di Ateneo di Bioetica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milano (Italy) |
Páginas | 445-456 |
CHIARA GATTI THE QUESTION OF DISABILITY IN THE POST-HUMAN DEBATE. CRITICAL REMARKS
CUADERNOS DE BIOÉTICA XXV 2014/3ª
445
THE QUESTION OF DISABILITY IN THE POST-HUMAN
DEBATE. CRITICAL REMARKS
LA CUESTIÓN DE LA DISCAPACIDAD EN EL DEBATE POST-HUMANO.
OBSERVACIONES CRÍTICAS
CHIARA GATTI
Centro di Ateneo di Bioetica
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. Milano (Italy)
Largo Gemelli, 1 - 20123 Milano - Italy
E-mail: chiara.gatti@unicatt.it
ABSTRACT:
The issue of disability represents a test case for the sustainability – practical and theoretical – of
transhumanist theories that lead to the advent of a post-human era. In fact, dealing with mankind implies also
the possibility that man has a disability. So, seeing whether, in the post-human debate, persons with disability
are respected, will show us if every man is respected. In this paper we start by analyzing the definition of
disability given by the post-human theorists. As we will see, this definition is deficient because it is strictly
linked with the transhumanists’ refusal of the distinction between therapeutic treatment and enhancement.
The field of enhancement is very wide, and the moral judgment on it cannot be generalized. Nowadays,
many developments made possible by human enhancement theories remain only speculated upon. However,
those theories are already influential in the field of studying the beginning of life. Indeed, the possibility
“to choose children” is real: here the issue of disability is decisive and the risk of discrimination is very high.
So, looking at the issue of disability will allow us to explore the ethical weight of the post-human
project. In the background, it will be possible to glimpse the question of what is the essence of man, an
issue not considered enough in the post-human debate. On the contrary, it is a fundamental question
which should be answered before proceeding to a substantial alteration of humanity.
RESUMEN::
El tema de la discapacidad representa una prueba para la sustentabilidad - práctica y teórica - de las
teorías transhumanistas que conducen a la llegada de una era post-humana. De hecho, al tratar la huma-
nidad, hay que tener en cuenta la posibilidad de que el hombre tenga una discapacidad. Por esta razón,
averiguar si en el debate sobre el post-humano se respetan a las personas con discapacidad, nos puede
mostrar si se respeta a cada hombre. En este trabajo analizaremos la definición de discapacidad dada por
los teóricos post humanistas. Se ilustrará como esta definición es deficitaria porque está vinculada estricta-
mente con el rechazo, por parte de los transhumanistas, de la distinción entre el tratamiento terapéutico
y la potenciación. El campo de la potenciación es muy extenso y, por lo tanto, no se puede generalizar el
juicio moral. Hoy en día, muchas de las posibilidades proyectadas por el “human enhancement” siguen
siendo solamente especulación. Sin embargo, esas teorías ya son influyentes en el campo del principio de
Keywords:
Disability,
transhumanism,
posthumanism,
bioethics,
enhancement.
Palabras clave:
Discapacidad,
transhumanismo,
posthumanismo,
bioética,
potenciación.
Recibido: 04/11/2013
Aceptado: 26/06/2014
Cuadernos de Bioética XXV 2014/3ª
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