Projected Disability and Parental Responsibilities

This chapter examines a hybrid conception of disability as an interplay between medical and social factors. It shows that choosing a disabled child is vaguely wrong. The first reason is that society is required to change social structures to alleviate the disabling and handicapping effects of impairment. The second reason is that most persons with disabilities lead worthwhile lives that are far preferable to non-existence. Finally, the overlapping frailties and vulnerabilities that most people experience should be considered so as to cultivate a greater willingness to adjust social structures and lessen functional disadvantages and limitations to the disabled person. In short, the idea suggesting that the mother's choice to deliberately conceive a child with impairment is wrong is inconclusive.