Difference between reproduction and procreation
Meilaender uses Leon Kass’s words to help us understand the difference between reproduction and procreation. According to Kass, “The premodern Christian English speaking world, impressed with the world as given by a creator, using the term ‘pro-creation.’ We, impressed with the machine and the gross national product, employ a metaphor of the factory, ‘reproduction.” (Engelland, 2015). According to Meilaeder in his reading, he clams that procreation is natural and has some influence when it comes to divine while reproduction is unnatural and it works against God’s plans. Form various research materials; reproduction is a biological way through which human beings reproduce for continuity of the human species. The reproduction means more to the species as it is to the individual. On the other hand, procreation is a process of creating new things of the same kind.
According to Meilaender, on these two terms, it is a matter of morality. On begetting versus cloning, Meilaender argues on Christianity and theological perspective that shows the value of life and the importance of child as a gift from God and thus it is against the view that the child is a product. According to the reading, the process of creating new life or a marvel of transmission of life father to child is called propagation (Mattes, 2016).Multiplication to proliferation is partially an indication of human opportunity. Conceived, is the correct inverse. It is when something leaves something else existing before it. In this way, any conceived thing or needing to have a source. Indeed, I concur with his description as the definitions justify the readings.
Comment2
According to Meilaender (2013), procreation is the gift of life given by a Creator while reproduction is the manmade creation of life through artificial or assisted means. Being Begotten has a similar meaning as procreation as it is the “transmission of life from father to son” while to be made is similar to reproduction as it is to be made through artificial means rather than created naturally (Meilaender, 2013). I can understand the descriptions and agree the meaning for each word. However, I have a hard time with the descriptions in the details for them, especially the reproduction. To me, I have seen many parents struggle with infertility and are so joyful when they are told they cannot have children naturally but have options. With the description of children from infertility treatments being an “object” and that the “human worth increasing becomes something that to be achieved rather than the birthright of every child” as Meilaender (2013) puts it does not settle right with me. To me, I view this is a contradiction of the beginning of the book that states that human being is the right of all individuals not matter their state of being.
