Bioethics through Literature. Margaret Atwood's Cautionary Tales

Literature has been warning us for a long time about the dangers of uncontrolled techno-science, shedding cautionary light on bioethical issues. In Bioethics Through Literature, Valentina Adami underlines the importance of literature for contemporary bioethical reflection by analyzing Margaret Atwood’s dystopias The Handmaid’s Tale (1985), Oryx and Crake (2003) and The Year of the Flood (2009). In particular, The Handmaid’s Tale provides a framework for discussion on biopower, the female body and the ethics of ARTs (Assisted Reproduction Technologies), while Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood offer interesting insights into other bioethical concerns such as ecology and the ethics of genetic engineering.