The Absurd in the Field of Genetic Diagnosis

Both pre-natal diagnosis and an increasing number of post-natal genetic tests represent a new and rapidly growing field of molecular biomedicine. This field gives rise to new forms of molecular body knowledge and new forms of decision-making situations for the ones affected. Camus’s concepts of absurdity offer a promising approach to medical ethics, especially in these areas. His writings on absurdity seem to resonate with patients’ stories when they talk about their body and illness experiences. That offers new strategies for addressing some important theoretical topics in medical ethics, such as patients’ autonomy, informed consent, doctor-patient communication and body experiences.