An unusual situation has arisen in Australia involving an ethical complication arising out of IVF. A woman and her fiance` created embryos via IVF. She was impregnated but then died in an auto crash. Now the grandmother of the remaining embryos may sue to prevent the father from bringing his . . . . Continue Reading »
One of the most telling but least commented upon lines in President Obama’s inaugural speech was his promise to “restore science to its proper place”. Since he doesn’t expand upon this restoration in the remainder of the speech it’s not immediately obvious what this . . . . Continue Reading »
The book War Against the Weak is the best history of the eugenics movement ever written. (Here is my take that appeared in National Review.) Now, there is a new documentary about to be released—War Against the Weak—The Movie. (Hit this link to see a trailerFor SHSers in Southern . . . . Continue Reading »
I was pleased to have been interviewed by Daniel Herbster for AdvanceUSA about my views on bioethics and human exceptionalism. I thought I would post a few exerpts here, along with the link, for anyone interested in reading the whole thing. First, I was asked why bioethical issues are so important. . . . . Continue Reading »
Edgar Allan Poe’s bicentennial birthday passed unremarked by this publication January 19. For the most part I considered Poe useful mainly as a horrible example of how not to write. Every so often, though, something characteristic took shape in his odd imagination. One of his lesser-known . . . . Continue Reading »
An op/ed in today’s Baltimore Sun has two doctors insisting that physicians refer patients for abortions if they don’t wish to do the deed themselves. (The term used is reproductive health, and so it isn’t only abortion to which they refer—but it is part of what is meant by . . . . Continue Reading »
I only bring this up because it provides a vivid example of how so much of the West has become, in the old Gilbert and Sullivan phrase, topsy-turvy. The Dutch Government is bringing a parliamentarian named Geert Wilders up on charges of hate speech for making incendiary statements about . . . . Continue Reading »
That is an interesting article , Amanda . Note the final sentence: “In addition to safety, researchers will look for signs that the treatment is effective.” It’s always good to have a medical treatment that not only fails to kill a patient, but actually helps cure the ailment. . . . . Continue Reading »
“The Pharisees followed the letter of the law, and thought themselves justified. We ignore it, and still think so.” —Anthony Esolen, Magnificat , January 2009 . . . . Continue Reading »
As some readers will remember, our October 2008 issue contained a posthumous poem by Thomas Disch (along with a poem in memory of Disch by David Mason). If you want to learn more about the work of this brilliant novelist, essayist, and poet, read this piece by science fiction writer John Crowley, . . . . Continue Reading »
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