Support First Things by turning your adblocker off or by making a  donation. Thanks!

PETA: It’s About the Money

PETA has had trouble lately because its true colors have been showing. For example, this little story: Heather Mills, Paul McCartney’s estranged wife, has apparently been cut off by PETA from participating in its work because Paul McCartney’s family wants no part of her. McCartney is in . . . . Continue Reading »

Brave New Bioethics On the Air Nationally

I have just learned that my Brave New Bioethics podcast has gone on the air in the nationally syndicated radio program Al Kresta in the Afternoon. (Kresta is also on satellite radio and streams live on the Internet.) This is terrific news. In doing the commentaries, I had hoped to reach people who . . . . Continue Reading »

Eugenics Equals Murder and Death

India has discovered grisly evidence of what happens when eugenics consciousness takes hold. In this case (as in China), it is a belief that boys are better than girls. As a consequence, female infanticide and abortion based on sex is rampant in India. Now, a mass grave of murdered girl infants and . . . . Continue Reading »

"Ethical" Fois Gras

Animal rights activists have tried to shut down the fois gras business in many paces around the world because it allegedly abuses ducks and geese to force feed them, the purpose of which is to fatten up their livers, creating the richness of the fois gras product. Of course, the force feeding is not . . . . Continue Reading »

Brave New Britain: We Never Say No

The UK Human Fertility and Embryology Authority, which has become a rubber stamp for Big Biotech, has approved paying women to sell their eggs for use in human cloning research. From the story: “Women who go through the medical procedure to harvest the eggs from their ovaries, which doctors . . . . Continue Reading »

The (Gene) Devil Made Me Do It

Some scientists think we have no real free will, that our behavior and beliefs are dictated by our genes. (Then, they cannot be upset with me for thinking they are just so full of beans; my genes prevent me from seeing the light.) This theory is just one of many avenues to deny human exceptionalism, . . . . Continue Reading »

Why The Texas Futile Care Law Must Fall

This correspondence is from Texas lawyer Jerri Ward, who has proved worthy of the honorific, attorney at law for fighting tooth and tong against futile care impositions in Texas (Andrea Clarke, for example). Jerri asked that I post it here at Secondhand Smoke. I do so because I trust Jerri. She has . . . . Continue Reading »

Viagra Saves Baby ‘s Life

As everyone knows, Viagra is used (and sometimes abused) as a treatment for impotency. It works by expanding blood vessels. Apparently, a prematurely born baby was on the verge of death and, in connection with heart surgery, some enterprising doctor prescribed Viagra—opening the child’s . . . . Continue Reading »

Tags

Loading...

Filter First Thoughts Posts