Why Have Children?

The Ethical Debate

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Ethics & Moral Philosophy, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Gender Studies, Women&
Cover of the book Why Have Children? by Christine Overall, The MIT Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Christine Overall ISBN: 9780262300513
Publisher: The MIT Press Publication: February 3, 2012
Imprint: The MIT Press Language: English
Author: Christine Overall
ISBN: 9780262300513
Publisher: The MIT Press
Publication: February 3, 2012
Imprint: The MIT Press
Language: English

In contemporary Western society, people are more often called upon to justify the choice not to have children than they are to supply reasons for having them. In this book, Christine Overall maintains that the burden of proof should be reversed: that the choice to have children calls for more careful justification and reasoning than the choice not to. Arguing that the choice to have children is not just a prudential or pragmatic decision but one with ethical repercussions, Overall offers a wide-ranging exploration of how we might think systematically and deeply about this fundamental aspect of human life. Writing from a feminist perspective, she also acknowledges the inevitably gendered nature of the decision; the choice has different meanings, implications, and risks for women than it has for men.After considering a series of ethical approaches to procreation, and finding them inadequate or incomplete, Overall offers instead a novel argument. Exploring the nature of the biological parent-child relationship -- which is not only genetic but also psychological, physical, intellectual, and moral -- she argues that the formation of that relationship is the best possible reason for choosing to have a child.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

In contemporary Western society, people are more often called upon to justify the choice not to have children than they are to supply reasons for having them. In this book, Christine Overall maintains that the burden of proof should be reversed: that the choice to have children calls for more careful justification and reasoning than the choice not to. Arguing that the choice to have children is not just a prudential or pragmatic decision but one with ethical repercussions, Overall offers a wide-ranging exploration of how we might think systematically and deeply about this fundamental aspect of human life. Writing from a feminist perspective, she also acknowledges the inevitably gendered nature of the decision; the choice has different meanings, implications, and risks for women than it has for men.After considering a series of ethical approaches to procreation, and finding them inadequate or incomplete, Overall offers instead a novel argument. Exploring the nature of the biological parent-child relationship -- which is not only genetic but also psychological, physical, intellectual, and moral -- she argues that the formation of that relationship is the best possible reason for choosing to have a child.

More books from The MIT Press

Cover of the book Getting Through by Christine Overall
Cover of the book Digital Countercultures and the Struggle for Community by Christine Overall
Cover of the book Confronting Consumption by Christine Overall
Cover of the book Cosmopolitan Commons by Christine Overall
Cover of the book Broken Movement by Christine Overall
Cover of the book In the Swarm by Christine Overall
Cover of the book Inventing Atmospheric Science by Christine Overall
Cover of the book Shifting Practices by Christine Overall
Cover of the book Visual Phenomenology by Christine Overall
Cover of the book Hermeneutica by Christine Overall
Cover of the book Humanity Enhanced by Christine Overall
Cover of the book Cultivating Food Justice by Christine Overall
Cover of the book Making Democracy Fun by Christine Overall
Cover of the book Leading from Within by Christine Overall
Cover of the book The Cost-Benefit Revolution by Christine Overall
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy