Philosophy Lecture: Kidneys for Sale! Why Markets in Human Organs Are Morally Required  

From 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 30 in Bethany Hall A, the Philosophy Department and the Dean's Office of the College of Arts and Sciences bring to campus the renowned Dr. James Stacey Taylor to discuss markets for human organs.

According to Taylor, "There is a chronic shortage of kidneys available for transplantation into persons who need them and the gap between the number of available kidneys and the medical need for them continues is increasing. Yet there is one easy way to alleviate this shortage: Allow a market in human kidneys." After outlining why allowing a market would alleviate the kidney shortage, Taylor will address three of the most persuasive objections to allowing markets in human kidneys: That the poor will be coerced into selling by their poverty, that persons should not be allowed to engage in activities as risky as selling a kidney, and that commercially procured kidneys would be inferior to those procured through altruistic donation. He will argue that none of these objections are successful.

Taylor is Professor of Philosophy at the College of New Jersey. He specializes in applied ethics (especially medical ethics), ethical theory, action theory, and metaphysical issues surrounding death. He is the author of Stakes and Kidneys (Routledge, 2005), Practical Autonomy and Bioethics (Routledge, 2009), Death, Posthumous Harm and Bioethics (Routledge, 2015) and nearly 100 peer-reviewed articles. He is currently working on another book, titled Toxic Trade in which he advocates for markets in (nearly) everything that can be commodified.

Please join us for what will no doubt be an important and thought provoking talk!