Paternity testing: a poor test of fatherhood

In this paper we argue that there are few morally acceptable justifications for a man to seek a paternity test. The relationship between material responsibility and the burdens generated by the creation of a needy child, means it is not unreasonable for a man to establish that he is responsible for the creation of a child before accepting this financial responsibility. Some men embrace fatherhood irrespective of their involvement in the children's creation and in the absence of a genetic relationship. Others feel differently. Given that parenting is a life-long commitment it is reasonable for those for whom genetics matters to request a paternity test prior to making this commitment. Once a man has become a (moral) father there is no justification for initiating paternity testing, save in the interests of the child. Where the child's interest in knowing his/her genetic origins is unclear we argue this is a decision that can be left for the child to make for him/herself when he/she is sufficiently mature. There is no justification for performing infidelity testing on a child. Because fatherhood is not contingent on genetic relatedness, suspicion of misattributed paternity is no justification for paternity testing. The justifications for, and problems with, paternity testing suggest that it is something men should seek antenatally, at birth or not at all.