Weighing the moral status of brain organoids and research animals.
Bioethics
; 38(5): 410-418, 2024 Jun.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38669606
ABSTRACT
Recent advances in human brain organoid systems have raised serious worries about the possibility that these in vitro 'mini-brains' could develop sentience, and thus, moral status. This article considers the relative moral status of sentient human brain organoids and research animals, examining whether we have moral reasons to prefer using one over the other. It argues that, contrary to common intuitions, the wellbeing of sentient human brain organoids should not be granted greater moral consideration than the wellbeing of nonhuman research animals. It does so not by denying that typical humans have higher moral status than animals, but instead by arguing that none of the leading justifications for granting humans higher moral status than nonhuman animals apply to brain organoids. Additionally, it argues that there are no good reasons to be more concerned about the well-being of human brain organoids compared to those generated from other species.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Brain
/
Organoids
/
Moral Status
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Bioethics
Journal subject:
ETICA
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Australia
Country of publication:
Reino Unido