2003/05/01 by Michael Benatar, David Benatar · 124 citations
Medicine · Psychology · #Alternative medicine #Child abuse #Discretion #Ethics and Legal Issues in Pediatric Healthcare #Genital Health and Disease #Informed consent #Law #Medical emergency #Medicine #Parental consent #Poison control #Political science #Psychology #Suicide prevention #Urological Disorders and Treatments
paper · doi:10.1162/152651603766436216
published in The American Journal of Bioethics 3(2), 35-48 (Taylor & Francis)
openalex publication_date 2003/05/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
Opinion about neonatal male circumcision is deeply divided. Some take it to be a prophylactic measure with unequivocal and significant health benefits, while others consider it a form of child abuse. We argue against both these polar views. In doing so, we discuss whether circumcision constitutes bodily mutilation, whether the absence of the child's informed consent makes it wrong, the nature and strength of the evidence regarding medical harms and benefits, and what moral weight cultural considerations have. We conclude that nontherapeutic circumcision of infant boys is a suitable matter for parental discretion.