Cultural Presuppositions and the Practices that Embody Them

In this discussion, Alastair, Derek and Matt take up the interaction between cultural presuppositions and particular actions which might embed them. While it starts from in-vitro fertilization, the conversation moves outward from there.

This is the bit from O’Donovan that started us off:

It may, of course, be wondered whether such subtleties are beyond the understanding of most couples who participate in the IVF programme, and whether such a practice can only have the effect of enforcing the widespread view of procreation as a project of the will.

It may even be thought that the cultural influence of the practice is likely to be so bad that IVF should be discouraged for that reason alone. To such a suggestion perhaps we are in no position to put up a strong resistance. After all, the experience with contraception makes it highly plausible.  It is possible that a wise society would understand IVF as a temptation; it is possible that a strong-willed society would resolve to put such a temptation aside.

But this takes us beyond the scope of our fairy-tale, in which no cultural consequences need be feared. These cultural questions are different from the question of whether there is something intrinsically disordered about IVF. And to that question we have not found reason (speaking simply, of course, of IVF as practised by fairy-godmothers in fairy-tales) to return a negative answer.

Jake Meador’s post on podcasting sermons also got a mention.

Note: Sorry for the audio on Derek’s mic. We’re diagnosing this problem and hoping to have it fixed up for next time.

Special thanks to MK Creative Arts for the audio editing.