The Philosophy department presents a philosophy colloquium featuring Carolyn McLeod on the topic 'Not for the Faint of Heart, Adoption and Licensing'. 

All are welcome. 

For more information, contact Kathy Fife, kfife@trentu.ca

Excerpt from Abstract:  ‘Not for the Faint of Heart’: Adoption and Licensing, by Carolyn McLeod and Andrew Botterell

The process of adopting a child is not for the faint of heart. This is what we were told when we, as a couple, began this process. Part of the challenge lies in fulfilling the licensing requirements for adoption, which, beyond the usual home study and background checks, can include mandatory participation in parenting classes. For many of us who struggle to meet these requirements, the question arises whether they are morally justified. We tackle this question in this paper and argue that some form of licensing for adoption is indeed morally necessary. After clarifying the reasons why this is so, we identify the kind of licensing that the reasons support. We leave open the question whether the licensing of so-called “natural” parents may be justified as well.    

Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2012.