Breast Implants
Radio Q&A: 4 November 2012, Question 2
I answered a question on breast implants on 4 November 2012. You can listen to or download the podcast of just this question below – or check out the whole episode of Philosophy in Action Radio.
What advice should I give to a friend considering breast implants? A friend of mine is considering breast implants, purely for cosmetic reasons. In other words, she's not having reconstructive surgery after a mastectomy: she just wants larger breasts. Do you think that purely cosmetic breast implant surgery is moral? Is it wise? What advice should I give her, if any?
My Answer, In Brief: You should recognize that breast implant surgery is not necessarily moral or immoral. It can be immoral if the woman evades the risks, spends money that she can't afford, acts on a second-handed desire to please someone else, or otherwise sacrifices greater values. But it can be moral for a woman of healthy self-esteem who has been bothered by the size or shape of breasts, provided that she understands the risks of surgery and can afford the surgery.
Tags: Body Image, Ethics, Medicine, Personal Values, Self-Esteem, Vanity
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- Duration: 14:44
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Relevant Links
- FDA: Breast Implant Complications Booklet
- Possible Complications of Breast Augmentation Surgery
- Do Breast Implants Affect Breast Cancer Risk? and Study: Implants Affect Breast Cancer Diagnosis But Not Survival
- WebMD: How Will Breast Implants Change Your Life?
- PsychCentral: Breast Implants Don't Solve Underlying Self-esteem Issues
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About Philosophy in Action
I'm Dr. Diana Brickell (formerly Diana Hsieh). I'm a philosopher, and I've long specialized in the application of rational principles to the challenges of real life. I completed my Ph.D in philosophy from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2009. I retired from work as a public intellectual in 2015.
From September 2009 to September 2015, I produced a radio show and podcast, Philosophy in Action Radio. In the primary show, my co-host Greg Perkins and I answered questions applying rational principles to the challenges of real life. We broadcast live over the internet on Sunday mornings.
You can listen to these 362 podcasts by subscribing to the Podcast RSS Feed. You can also peruse the podcast archive, where episodes and questions are sorted by date and by topic.
My first book, Responsibility & Luck: A Defense of Praise and Blame, can be purchased in paperback and Kindle. The book defends the justice of moral praise and blame of persons using an Aristotelian theory of moral responsibility, thereby refuting Thomas Nagel's "problem of moral luck." My second book (and online course), Explore Atlas Shrugged, is a fantastic resource for anyone wishing to study Ayn Rand's epic novel in depth.
You can also read my blog NoodleFood and subscribe to its Blog RSS Feed.
I can be reached via e-mail to [email protected].
