PHILOSOPHY AND PRAXIS

Changes in the environment as well as lifestyle alterations are two key bourgeoning issues in a hyper-technological world. Whilst environmental changes negatively impact on the air, water and human nutrition leading to the escalation of Infertility, lifestyle alterations seem to debase traditional family structures in support of homosexual relationships. These, and a plethora of other reasons create a horde of couples who are not able to, or are unwilling to conceive a child, leading to the option for surrogacy. The exponential upswing in the practice of surrogacy over the past few decades has highlighted the complexities of inequalities in our societies, the issues of parentage, the natural mother-infant bond, and the overall ethical concerns, all of which impinge on exploitation, human rights abuses and the social justice system. This paper discusses the complex phenomenon of surrogacy and parenting in a hypertechnological world with their associated problems and ethical quandaries. Using the hermeneutic and analytic methods, it intends to show that even though surrogacy provides hope and optimism to the childless, its practice is fraught with abuses that demand strict regulations.

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