Avant-propos - Studia Moralia

118 JOHN BERKMAN
Smith concluded from the final phrase of this sentence –
“can[not] be licitly pursued” – that Donum vitae ruled out the
possibility of embryo adoption.
In order to evaluate whether one can reasonably conclude
that the “cannot be licitly pursued” sentence in DV is referring
to the adoption of embryos, it is necessary to note the sentence’s
context, especially its intended audience. The sentence occurs in
Part I of DV, the goal of which is to articulate the respect due to
human embryos in general. More specifically, the section in
which it occurs (i.e. the fifth section of Part I) is discussing a
rather specific sub-group of embryos. This particular section is
addressed to researchers who experiment on human embryos
that have been created through in vitro fertilization (IVF). 8 In
the sentences immediately prior to the “cannot be licitly pursued”
sentence, DV condemns two specific kinds of acts: first,
the production in vitro of embryos that have been created specifically
for the purpose of experimentation; second, the destruction
of these embryos.
It is immoral to produce human embryos destined to be exploited
as disposable “biological material.”
In the usual practice of in vitro fertilization, not all of the
embryos are transferred to the woman’s body; some are destroyed.
Just as the Church condemns induced abortion, so she also forbids
acts against the life of these human beings. It is a duty to condemn
the particular gravity of the voluntary destruction of human embryos
obtained ‘in vitro’ for the sole purpose of research … By acting in this
way the researcher usurps the place of God; and, even though he
may be unaware of this, he sets himself up as the master of the destiny
of others inasmuch as he arbitrarily chooses whom he will
allow to live and whom he will send to death and kills defenceless
manent, quippe quibus securae viae non pateant ad superstitem vitam, quas
ingredi liceat.”
8 After the introductory section, Part I of DV is entitled “Respect for
Human Embryos.” Section 5 of Part I, a section of about ten sentences and
the one from which Smith quotes, is entitled “ How is one to evaluate morally
the use for research purposes of embryos obtained by fertilization ‘in
vitro’?”