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.104 The same dilemmaphysical and health indices.It is not clear that thereseems to apply with at least equal force to the GVP.Onwould be the same incentive to discriminate in favor ofthe one hand, if implementation of the GVP is left tomoral enhancements.Moreover, in thinking about thisparents, then it seems open to the objection that thereobjection, it is important to be clear about what ismay not be enough parental interest in the GVP tomeant by discrimination. Some universities discrim-make any difference.On the other hand, in the presentinate in the sense that they will not admit students withmoral and political climate of the West, it seemsa C- average coming out of high school.Of course, thisdifficult to imagine a state-sponsored mandatoryis a different sense of discrimination.What is underimplementation of the GVP gaining any politicalconsideration is unfair discrimination, which is morelikely to be present in societies where socialization and momentum.After all, the points about state neutralitygenetic enhancements do not favor virtues like justice.and abuse seem to apply at least as strongly in the caseIn other words, if the GVP can promote justice in of the GVP, and no doubt would be front and center inindividuals, then it seems likely that there would be less any opposition to efforts to make the GVP mandatory.40 POLITICS AND THE LIFE SCIENCES N SEPTEMBER 2009 N VOL.28, NO.2 WalkerOne means to defend the GVP against such thinking much more comfortable with parents, as opposed tois to draw a parallel to MacIntyre s argument that for the state, making decisions about crafting the moralour lives and world to go better we must return to a character of the next generation.Political liberals mayvirtue-based ethics.105,106,107 The implementation of concede that some parents provide atrocious moralMacIntyre s vision would require a radical reworking education for their children, but this is a tragic cost ofof our current socio-political environment.For exam- allowing parents to have discretion over this aspect ofple, MacIntyre believes that for the virtues to flourish children s lives.In part, this position is justified by thenew political units must be constructed, smaller than argument that the alternative of state-mandated moralthe modern state,108 and capitalism must go.MacIn- education is even worse.The liberal model also seemstyre is the first to acknowledge that these are no easy to pose less of a risk of widespread abuse comparedtasks, and such goals may take many lifetimes to with the state model.In particular, the suggestion isachieve (if at all).Indeed, After Virtue concludes with that parents by and large are better guardians of theirthe famous thought that we must contend with the children s interests than the state, and so the liberalnew dark ages which are already upon us. 109 So, model offers better prospects that children will not beMacIntyre s view is one that says people are relatively sacrificed or fundamentally altered for the sake ofimpotent to make such wholesale changes, at least in some tenuous social goal.the short-term.Even if this conclusion is accepted, As noted, one reason to worry about the viability ofthere may still be some value in such a perspective, as it the liberal model has to do with whether the GVP couldcould be seen as informing us why our lives and world ever be sufficiently effective in changing human nature.are not likely to get better.The point here is not In response, it should first be noted that in thinkingwhether MacIntyre is right or wrong, but that there about the implementation of the liberal program themay be a radical discrepancy between what is ethically thought is not of the GVP as a stand-alone program, thatrequired and what is politically practical.is, a future where the only genetic decisions permittedIt might be possible to defend the GVP with similar are those connected with virtue.Such a future seemsreasoning: if the world is to improve, then the GVP will very improbable.If the state permits parents to makehave to be implemented.Current socio-political reality genetic decisions about virtue, it seems likely thatmakes the implementation of the GVP highly unlikely; parents may have the opportunity to chose genethus, our lives and world are not likely to improve in sequences associated with any number of desiredthe ways that might be hoped.Just because it might be characteristics for their offspring such as a robustpractically impossible to institute some change does immune system, longevity, and intelligence
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