What does this question mean?

[jofeb04]

Hiya,

The question is:

It has been argued that organ sale and surrogate motherhood are forms of commodification of the human body. Discuss.

What does commodification mean?

Something that can be bought

To make into a commodity - i.e. something that can be sold or traded.

Something that is easily bought and sold.

Generally you refer to things being commoditised as they become easily tradable. That can be a "good" thing - eg access to news and information or a "bad" thing - ie losing all sense of real value.

I would imagine the question is asking it more in the second sense.

Thanks for that. It's for a seen exam,and before I start to really revise, thought I'd better check what it means

So it is asking me to discuss that organ and surrogacy are basically selling parts of body?

It's for an ethical perspective exam!

commercialisation. Agree with blingdreaming, the reference is to losing real value, the value merely becoming monetary.

So, easily selling parts of the body, organs or through surrogacy, that they loose their real value

"So, easily selling parts of the body, organs or through surrogacy, that they loose their real value" - yes, but likely not financial value, more intrinsic value. For example, are they seen as less important to maintain and keep healthy? Does their very existence mean less?

It makes sense that this question is for an ethical perspective exam.

Incidentally, I've always heard the process referred to as commoditization not commodification. [random sidebar thought]

That makes sense Bling. Hate having questions I don't understand, but I really enjoy ethics tbh.

Start to revise for exam now I understand the question!

It's an interesting question. I think I would have asked, "will organ donar and ..." because surely it's not so easy yet?

I think that is what confused me. I didn't think that surrogacy is that common along with organ sales within the UK.

But at least I know what it meants!

perhaps they mean the concept of it - ie the fact that the concept even exists, is a commodification of the body? So even if the reality isn't happening yet, the fact that it's even talked about is a sign of this process?