The Liberal Eugenics: A Look from the Composition the Future of Human Nature by Jürgen Habermas

Abstract

This article intends to analyze the liberal eugenics from the understanding of Jürgen Habermas in the composition The Future of Human Nature, mainly with respect to the possibilities that the subject exposed to genetic manipulation procedures may have hurt its right to self-understanding and, consequently, its personal dignity. The purpose consists in investigating the idea introduced by the author about the liberal eugenics and its possible consequences in relation to the rights of the subject exposed to that practice. Therefore, it was done an exploratory and explanatory bibliographical research, qualitative, using the hypothetical-deductive method. The results achieved with the research are related to the study of the theme through a philosophical perspective, also verifying, that, in the authors point of view, the deliberate use of genetic manipulation techniques is dangerous, by the possibility of hurting the subjects rights, who is the object of this manipulation. The conclusion is that, surely, despite the several contributions brought to the humanity by the genetic engineering, there are issues to be thought and, in the specific issue of the liberal eugenics, the subjects right of self-understanding could, somehow, have been broken in case of intervention in its genetic material, mainly in relation to the selection of the desired characteristics. The contribution achieved with this study is guided in clearing an important theme, and while so polemic, and precisely for this reason needs to be analyzed, by the philosophys point of view, mainly by Jürgen Habermas knowledge.