Reproductive autonomy as self-making: procreative liberty and the practice of ethical subjectivity.
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Abstract |
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In this article, I consider recent debates on the notion of procreative liberty, to argue that reproductive freedom can be understood as a form of positive freedom-that is, the freedom to make oneself according to various ethical and aesthetic principles or values. To make this argument, I draw on Michel Foucault's later work on ethics. Both adopting and adapting Foucault's notion of ethics as a practice of the self and of liberty, I argue that reproductive autonomy requires enactment to gain meaning within the life contexts of prospective parents. Thus, I propose a shift away from the standard negative model of freedom that sees it solely as a matter of noninterference or nonimpedance, a view advocated by major commentators such as John Harris and John Robertson. Instead, reproduction should be understood as a deeply personal project of self-making that integrates both negative and positive freedom. |
Year of Publication |
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2013
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Journal |
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The Journal of medicine and philosophy
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Volume |
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38
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Issue |
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6
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Number of Pages |
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639-56
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ISSN Number |
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0360-5310
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URL |
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https://academic.oup.com/jmp/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/jmp/jht046
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DOI |
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10.1093/jmp/jht046
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Short Title |
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J Med Philos
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