Markets in Human Organs and the Ethics of Inducements

Day: Saturday, April 22   Hour: 11:30 - 12:00 pm

By: James Taylor

In this paper I will argue that markets in human organs should be introduced. I argue that the common objection to such a market--that it will compromise the autonomy of those who would participate in it as vendors--is mistaken. In particular, I focus on the claim that inducing a person to sell (e.g.) a kidney would compromise her autonomy. I argue that this claim rests on three main arguments: (i) That a person who is offered such an inducement would suffer from weakness of will, (ii) that a person offered such an inducement would suffer from motivational ambivalence, and (iii) that a person offered such an inducement would suffer from a reduction in the number of eligible options open to her. With these three arguments for the claim that inducements can compromise autonomy in place, I argue that they are all mistaken. <<Back to Conference program