Press release 02/2024
Bioethics Forum: Reproductive medicine and debate culture
In the context of reproductive medicine, particularly tough ethical conflicts arise time and again. At the Bioethics Forum on 24 April, the German Ethics Council will therefore be asking the question: How do we as a society want to deal with different positions? And how can a respectful public dialogue remain possible?
While some reproductive medical measures are widely accepted, others – such as surrogacy, egg donation or abortion – are at the centre of intense controversial debates. How can the discourse on these issues be defused and made more factual?
“All decisions relating to reproduction are deeply personal,” emphasises the Chair of the German Ethics Council, Alena Buyx. “At the same time, they concern legal and ethical principles and are therefore sometimes the subject of very controversial debate in society and the public.” “Differing ethical values can inflame public debate,” adds Frauke Rostalski, who heads the working group for the Bioethics Forum together with Franz-Josef Bormann. “We want to find a way to take the heat out of the discussion, to rationalise the debate and thereby also do more justice to those affected.”
The Bioethics Forum does not aim to scrutinise individual measures in terms of their scientific basis or moral quality, but rather focuses on the way in which they are or should be discussed. Questions of gender relations, family policy, constitutional law and the right of opinion, but also the tension between the protection of the life of the unborn and the self-determination of women are at the forefront.
In the first part of the event, various Council members will reflect on the interdisciplinary communication problems they encounter in the context of the topic from their professional perspective. The second part begins with a communication science analysis. As an external expert for public health and education, Klaus Hurrelmann from the Hertie School in Berlin raises the question of how a respectful dialogue can begin despite controversial opinions. In the subsequent panel discussion, other Council members will discuss how to deal with plurality within public controversies as well as their own experiences of negotiating different positions within the German Ethics Council.
Interested participants are cordially invited to take part in the subsequent discussion at the event or online.
Bioethics Forum
Reproductive medicine and debate culture
Wednesday, 24 April 2024, 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Leibniz Hall
Markgrafenstraße 38, 10117 Berlin
and
online at www.ethikrat.org/live
The event will be held in German. Registration for participation at the venue is required. No registration is required for the livestream.
Afterwards, a video recording and a transcription will be made available on the event website. The event itself will be accompanied by sign language at the venue and online and subtitled live online.
Further information on the topic can be found at www.ethikrat.org/en/bioethics-forum/reproductive-medicine-and-debate-culture.
