The Case Against Perfection

By: Michael J. Sandel

Narrated by: Pete Cross

Length: 2 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

Breakthroughs in genetics present us with a promise and a predicament. The promise is that we will soon be able to treat and prevent a host of debilitating diseases. The predicament is that our newfound genetic knowledge may enable us to manipulate our nature - to enhance our genetic traits and those of our children. Although most people find at least some forms of genetic engineering disquieting, it is not easy to articulate why.

The Case Against Perfection explores these and other moral quandaries connected with the quest to perfect ourselves and our children. Michael Sandel argues that the pursuit of perfection is flawed for reasons that go beyond safety and fairness. The drive to enhance human nature through genetic technologies is objectionable because it represents a bid for mastery and dominion that fails to appreciate the gifted character of human powers and achievements. Carrying us beyond familiar terms of political discourse, this book contends that the genetic revolution will change the way philosophers discuss ethics and will force spiritual questions back onto the political agenda.

In order to grapple with the ethics of enhancement, we need to confront questions largely lost from view in the modern world. Since these questions verge on theology, modern philosophers and political theorists tend to shrink from them. But our new powers of biotechnology make these questions unavoidable.

©2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC (P)2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC

wish I could rate without reviewing.

wish I could rate without reviewing. this is not an improvement over the old system of rating.

Brief Exploration of key ethical dilemmas

Several difficult and often divisive ethical dilemmas are argumented with profound understanding, compelling clarity and engaging depth.

The author made his case considering objections

The author made his case considering objections, however, his argument is still grounded in a very specific metaphysical conception although he claims it is not. To begin with, there is a strong assumption that human beings are outside of Nature, because the whole case is oriented around this argument that nature gives things that humans shouldn’t modify without serious moral consequences. Then, several times is the flawed assumption that relates human love to their child with what their genetics characteristics, and this assumes that these two elements are related when it is not necessarily the case (more often it is not than it is). Obviously, no argumentation is perfect, and the author has his merits. But this book should be read with a serious grain of salt.