Wesley J. Smith

For years, I have been warning people that the time has come to man (and woman) the ramparts to defend the citadel of human exceptionalism (that’s a metaphor for you literalists) against its many attackers. Indeed, the unique and intrinsic value of human life merely for being human is under . . . . Continue Reading »

I believe reasonable skepticism is warranted any time a major “medical miracle” story breaks.  But there comes a time when skepticism becomes something else, an ideological tool to keep society from drawing ethical conclusions that the skeptic might oppose.I think we have reached . . . . Continue Reading »

I loathe the tactic of hacking and publishing, whether in support of a side I am on or not.  It seems to me that such Nixonian tactics—as I wrote here—destroy the comity necessary for democracy to function. (Yes, I am aware of the NYT’s hypocrisy on this matter, but what does . . . . Continue Reading »

More details are coming out about the Rom Houben case.  This struck me hard.  From the story:Belgian doctors who treated him early on said that Rom had gone from a coma into a vegetative condition. Coma is a state of unconsciousness in which the eyes are closed and the patient can’t . . . . Continue Reading »

Obamacare pushers have mounted the most dishonest political campaign I think I have ever seen. They say that we will insure 30 million more people—but for less money—which is impossible.  They claimed abortion wouldn’t be funded, but that lie is now fully exposed as both the . . . . Continue Reading »

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An attorney affiliated with the Alliance Defense Fund has used litigation to stop a Tennessee hospital from unilaterally withdrawing life support from an infant.  From the story:East Tennessee Children’s Hospital said it would continue caring for 9-month-old Gabriel Palmer from . . . . Continue Reading »

I joined many others in pounding the apparent abuse of the UK’s Liverpool Care Pathway, both in articles here—and during my recent debate/speech tour of Scotland/London.  Readers may recall that the Pathway puts people near death into an artificial coma.  I do not object to . . . . Continue Reading »

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Regarding the Ron Houben case mentioned earlier by Joe Carter : There are crucial lessons to learn. We hear constantly from the utilitarian bioethics crowd that people diagnosed as being persistently unconscious should be dehydrated to death because they are not “persons,” or even, they . . . . Continue Reading »