Michael Sandel is the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Government at Harvard University, where he has taught
political philosophy since 1980.
In this preamble to a guided audience discussion, Sandel says: "In this session, we turn to some of the ethical
challenges, some of the ethical questions, that these new technologies put before us."
To start, he poses a question about embryo screening (preimplantation genetic diagnosis), used to screen for genetic
diseases and abnormalities. While checking for abnormalities, couples can also screen the sex of their child and choose a preferred
gender. "Some sex selection is tied to a medical purpose, but that's not the only use of sex selection. Some people might just want a
boy rather than a girl or a girl rather than a boy, for reasons unrelated to medicine." Sandel prompts us to "imagine a society where
people routinely chose the sex of their children. Would there be anything wrong with that?"
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