Redefining Reality - The Intellectual Implications of Modern Science

As a result of breastfeeding, the newborn can spot, mark, and
destroy infectious agents on its own, even though the baby may
never have been exposed to the threat. Breastfeeding literally
creates a differently functioning body for the baby.
technology. Possibly the oldest technology we have used with our
youngest children is the wet nurse. New mothers would use the
breast milk of other women to feed their own children.
We now know that breast milk actually plays a role in how the
body functions. Thus, the wet nurse shaped the way a baby’s
body works, creating an aspect of the newborn’s immune system.
Given our contemporary understanding of what it means to
be a parent, doesn’t the wet nurse now count in some small
way as one of the parents of the child because the child’s body
will function and develop in part as a result of the nurse’s
biological contribution?
With in vitro fertilization (IVF), the sperm of the father and the egg
of the mother are combined in a petri dish, then re-implanted in the
mother. This process has been a miracle for infertile couples and has
given rise to other technological advances. Once it’s conceivable to
have fertilization outside the body, controls and other possibilities
are introduced that were not options before. The most obvious is
that the implanted zygote may not include the sperm or egg of the
parent or parents who intend to raise the child.
Sperm donation gives rise to a number of interesting issues. Often,
sperm donors are unaware of when, where, or with whom their
contribution will be used to create life. This is frequently intentional.
The donors can donate without any concern for the ultimate results
of their donation. From a purely Darwinian standpoint, this practice
is both advantageous and disadvantageous.
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