License to Procreate
Caroline McCall
Philosophy 211
Stephen Everett, Section 001
October, 12, 2012
License to Procreate
The question “should people procreate” is a very opinionated one. There is no right or wrong answer just a personal opinion based on facts to support it, I happen to side with Hugh Lafollette in his essay “Licensing Parents”. I will argue that before people are allowed to procreate they should have to obtain a license which gives them the right to produce and raise children. Otherwise they should not be allowed any children until they have the license. First I will look at it from the child’s point of view and explain how it is rational for them. Second I will look at the reasoning and policies of this theory. Finally I will discuss how it would change the modern today and how it would be implemented. The licensing idea came about to protect children from harm. When children are little they cannot defend themselves and have no one but their parents to depend on. “Each year more than half a million children are physically abused or neglected by their parents. Many millions more are psychologically abused or neglected, not given love, respect, or a sense of self-worth” (Lafollette 438). Children need constant care and support, some people are just not suitable to give the attention and love that a baby requires. An analogy of this would be a small puppy. My roommates and I really wanted a puppy for our house this year and one of the girls volunteered for it to be mainly hers so she would take it home with her during breaks and continuously watch it. When we went to the pet store they would not let us have a dog because we were college kids and they said we didn’t have the time that the puppy needed devoted to it. A couple weeks later we called and asked if there was any way we could get one still and they said we need to know your schedules, where it will at all times, who will be the main caregiver, and we need parental support. So in the end we ended up
Philosophy 211
Stephen Everett, Section 001
October, 12, 2012
License to Procreate
The question “should people procreate” is a very opinionated one. There is no right or wrong answer just a personal opinion based on facts to support it, I happen to side with Hugh Lafollette in his essay “Licensing Parents”. I will argue that before people are allowed to procreate they should have to obtain a license which gives them the right to produce and raise children. Otherwise they should not be allowed any children until they have the license. First I will look at it from the child’s point of view and explain how it is rational for them. Second I will look at the reasoning and policies of this theory. Finally I will discuss how it would change the modern today and how it would be implemented. The licensing idea came about to protect children from harm. When children are little they cannot defend themselves and have no one but their parents to depend on. “Each year more than half a million children are physically abused or neglected by their parents. Many millions more are psychologically abused or neglected, not given love, respect, or a sense of self-worth” (Lafollette 438). Children need constant care and support, some people are just not suitable to give the attention and love that a baby requires. An analogy of this would be a small puppy. My roommates and I really wanted a puppy for our house this year and one of the girls volunteered for it to be mainly hers so she would take it home with her during breaks and continuously watch it. When we went to the pet store they would not let us have a dog because we were college kids and they said we didn’t have the time that the puppy needed devoted to it. A couple weeks later we called and asked if there was any way we could get one still and they said we need to know your schedules, where it will at all times, who will be the main caregiver, and we need parental support. So in the end we ended up