Rethinking Human Dignity In The Age Of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (Arts)

Abstract

Human dignity is one of the most frequently invoked yet least clearly defined principles in debates on assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs). While Kantian ethics has traditionally located dignity in the intrinsic worth of rational beings, contemporary discussions expand the scope of dignity to include autonomy, relational responsibility, and social recognition. This paper synthesizes philosophical, theological, feminist, and care-ethical perspectives to offer a multidimensional account of dignity in the context of reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), surrogacy, cryopreservation, and genetic interventions. Drawing on Kant, Jonas, Habermas, Sandel, Ricoeur, Levinas, and Nussbaum, it explores three foundational ethical issues the moral status of the embryo, the significance of naturalness in procreation, and the autonomy of reproductive choice before advancing a framework that distinguishes between subjective and objective dimensions of dignity and clarifies whose dignity is at stake. This paper will argue that dignity must be understood as at once intrinsic, relational, and capabilities-based if it is to provide meaningful guidance in navigating the ethical complexities of ARTs.