Autonomy and the Body

An important ethical consideration linked to organ selling is that of autonomy. The Mahdavi-Mazdeh piece talks a little about autonomy, but does not get into the big question: Do we have the autonomy to sell our organs? While one has autonomy over one’s own body, this stops at the point where one is objectified (even by the self), because one should respect one’s own body as well as God, who granted one use of one’s body.

   It must be said that donating an organ out of generosity, such as to a family member who needs the organ, is different from selling an organ to someone because you need or want the money. In the first case, as long as the donation is out of the generosity of one’s self and not for want of money, one does not look to gain from giving an organ away. Thus, the act is virtuous and satisfies the Aristotelian demand of doing that which makes us flourish as rational, social animals. If someone is only donating an organ to profit from monetary compensation, either out of need or want, then the act tends towards irreverently using the body as an object. This cannot morally be done because the body is part of who we are, and we identify as subjects to ourselves; we should not identify ourselves as objects, nor should we separate the body from that which constitutes us as human beings. To do these things would be to commit crimes unto ourselves.

   The situation easily becomes complicated if someone wishes to sell an organ for money so that s/he can feed his/her family. Selling one’s organs is similar to killing one’s self by a means so that one’s family can benefit from insurance money. While the sacrifice may appear virtuous, we must still recognize that our bodies are not objects that we can use, because to do so would be unjust to ourselves and to our Maker, who gave our bodies to us.