EMBRYO PRODUCTION AND MANIPULATION - ETHICAL ASPECTS

At the outset, something is said about what ethics is (not) about. Then, some ethical aspects of animal reproductive technology are examined, namely the break of a trend in the developments in the (bio-) sciences and (bio-) technology and the values that are at stake in their (social) context. The moral status of animals and the lack of consensus in ethical theory are also discussed. Against this background some general principles of policy are suggested and a plea is made in favor of interdisciplinary consensus seminars in order to institutionalize the ethical discussion among colleagues. The function of an ethicist is not to take away the responsibility of scholars and managers but, rather, to play a role in 'coaching' and encouraging moral decision making.