Footnotes

• ↵ⁱThe Assemblea Costituente discussed the opportunity to introduce an explicit provision to protect freedom of scientific research. Some were critical about the possibility of dedicating a part of the constitutional text to liberties of culture and thought, considered different from the traditional constitutional rights. Others doubted the need of consecrating too gravely such an activity that is free in itself, so diminishing its own value. At last, the importance of letting the social community be free from the fascist cultural subjection prevailed, and article 33 of the Italian Constitution was introduced, protecting freedom of art and science and their teaching as a means of assuring human cultural and spiritual growth. More about the debate that took place in Assemblea Costituente can be seen in Chieffi.¹

• ↵ⁱⁱFor example, in the recent Italian law on assisted reproduction (Law number 40/2004), it has been introduced, in article 1, that the product of fertilisation should have the same rights as the other subjects involved in the procreation process, to raise it to the dignity of a third party that cannot be harmed.

• Competing interests: None.