Just a Matter of Autonomy?

Christian Minst

Professor Cronce

PHIL 2500

12 March 2015

Reflection Paper 2

“Just a Matter of Autonomy?”

The main idea of the decision scenario in the textbook on pg. 429 “Just a Matter of Autonomy?” is should lesbians, single mothers, and unmarried women have access to fertility treatment. This discussion explores the connection of reproduction by single mothers, unmarried individuals, and lesbians, and it encloses ethical arguments. These ethical arguments support the consideration of access to artificial insemination on the aspect of marital status and that sexual orientation cannot be justified.  

Question one from the textbook asks, “Suppose that Ms. Callahan is a lesbian. Should this be a relevant consideration in deciding whether she should receive AID?” (Munson, p. 429) No, the fact if Ms. Callahan is lesbian should not be a relevant consideration because there is no supported evidence. This consideration of not allowing Ms. Callahan to receive AID is groundless and prejudice against single parents and lesbians. There are state laws that are barring sexual orientation-based discrimination for the medical profession. Depending on what state Ms. Callahan resides in the anti-discrimination law would rule out this consideration.  This is not morally justifiable. This should be a consideration about doing what is right and what is right. Kant would say that doctor have a moral duty to perform medical procedures, especially if the procedure is not causing harm. Doctors are discriminating against single women and lesbians trying to justify that women are not worthy of having a child or a family.

This consideration can also be count for abandonment of patients because it is humiliating, frustrating, and discouraging. Doctors cannot opt out of a law because of personal or religious beliefs. Kant would say as a duty to perform medical procedures, doctors cannot decide on what is medically irrelevant base off characteristics of a patient. Referring back to the textbook, “traditionally single mothers in our society haven’t been treated with respect” (Munson, p. 334). Society views single mothers especially lesbians, as a social problem. Society reacts as if “we can’t have this kind of crazy stuff going on”. Therefore, the most implicit way to deal with the problem is to enforce policies such as what Dr. Davis was insinuating in the scenario to reduce the number of single mothers and lesbians with children.  The stereotypically social problem for single mothers is that they are young with little education, money, and job skills. Ms. Callahan justifies in the textbook, “I’m healthy, financially sound and mentally stable, I’m both able and eager to accept the responsibility of being a mother” (Munson, p. 429). Therefore, Ms. Callahan (the would-be lesbian) would only need acceptance to be a candidate for artificial insemination. Dr. Davis even went as far as suggesting that Ms. Callahan conceive a child in a “natural” sexual way. An objection to this is what makes “natural” an appropriate way for ethical or legal behavior? One can say that murder is not completely “natural” because it is not always ethical or legal.