Against perfection

Michael Sandel, author of the bestselling book Justice , discusses the ethics of genetics, advances in science, and the challenges of the 21st century.

First published in 2007, Against Perfection is a masterful reflection on the impacts caused by the scientific innovations that flooded the collective imagination at the turn of the 21st century, such as the emergence of the first clone of a mammal – Dolly the sheep – and the announcement of the sequencing of the human genome.

These innovations have raised ethical and moral issues that challenge our society to this day, especially when we are faced with projects that encourage the creation of "perfect" human beings—bodies endowed with targeted physical and intellectual characteristics. Paradoxically, embryo research also creates a stalemate in the fight against curing chronic diseases and improving the effectiveness of organ transplants. There is something intoxicating about this vision of unbridled human freedom enabled by genetic engineering. But this promise of domination threatens our recognition of humanity's historic achievements and, most importantly, of life itself as a gift whose mysteries are intangible. In attempting to correct imperfections, we may destroy our diversity.

Taking us beyond the familiar terms of political discourse, Michael Sandel shows how the genetic revolution has changed the way philosophers discuss ethics and has also brought some religious issues back onto the political agenda in a process of detraction from science, which we perceive increasingly clearly. To address these seemingly insurmountable obstacles, the author offers arguments that are surprisingly willing to delve into the most slippery controversies.

“A brief, concise and wonderful discussion, (...) which brings us up to speed on the main ethical issues in recent debates about genetic engineering and stem cell research.” – Gabriel Gbadamosi, BBC Radio

“Nobody is perfect, and in this book, Michael Sandel makes an instructive and engaging case that nobody should be.” - Yuval Levin, New York Sun