Wesley J. Smith

I believe that an animal welfare analysis of chimp research would preclude all but the most serious experiments.  But limited experimentation should be permitted to continue in the cause of preventing and alleviating serious human suffering.Nature has a piece out describing the stakes in the . . . . Continue Reading »

Peter Singer reviews a new book called On What Matters in his syndicated column.  Philosopher Derek Parfit apparently argues that there is such a thing as objective truth, and indeed, that we need to find “what really matters” if life is to have any ultimate meaning.  Singer . . . . Continue Reading »

I have been noticing that the so-called right to family life has become the justification for a multitudes of problems in Europe—such as not jailing felons as a human right matter due to impact on family and not deporting foreign terrorists living in the UK—issues that are beyond our . . . . Continue Reading »

Oh dear, oh dear:  What’s a radical environmentalist to do? On one hand, the earth is supposedly melting and we need to deploy wind turbines and other green technologies to “save the planet.”  Adding to our felonious existence, we awful humans are killing endangered . . . . Continue Reading »

They have to know better than this.  The National Science Foundation has erroneously conflated “induced pluripotent stem cells” with “adult” stem cells in discussing a report—which I also covered here at SHS—calling for continued federal funding of embryonic . . . . Continue Reading »

I know I am spitting in the wind, but that’s my job. We permit voluntary organ donations of one kidney or a slice of liver.  While things usually work out fine, there is no question the donation risks the health or life of the donor.  But the point is to save a life.Now, the issue of . . . . Continue Reading »

I have made fun of the noted transhumanist, George Dvorsky, on more than one occasion—most notably after listening to him advocate “uploading” animal consciousnesses into computers to eradicate the suffering caused by predation.  But I am not making fun of him now.  . . . . Continue Reading »

Sometimes, Woody Allen’s fantasy from Annie Hall actually happens:I provide a lot of latitude here on my blog for people to disagree with me, call me names, and cast aspersion on my motives.  That’s why I don’t generally read or respond to private emails that criticize what I . . . . Continue Reading »

Global warming hysterics have resorted in recent years to one of the biggest gun in any political advocacy arsenal—the lawyers. Suits have been brought, for example, against businesses that have acted within existing pollution regulations—for spewing carbon dioxide and supposedly warming . . . . Continue Reading »

These kind of stories are appearing with greater regularity in the UK papers:  A Christian discusses his or her faith with a colleague, or offers to pray with a patient—and gets the sack and/or is put through the job discipline ringer.  (Here’s an example from just a month . . . . Continue Reading »