Postmodernism, a critique of the over-ambitious nature of Enlightenment rationalism, is the beginning of an age deeply disenchanted with modernity. What is modernity and (following the most powerful of Twentieth Century constructs) its –ism? This generalization strikes me as a decent one. I . . . . Continue Reading »
Once again assisted suicide is being presented by its supporters as somehow a necessity. That being so, they argue, legalizing assisted suicide would extend rather than shorten lives. From the story:The ban on assisted suicideis forcing terminally ill people to cut their lives short, the House of . . . . Continue Reading »
Some of you might have noticed that the comments have disappeared again. This is a temporary condition, I am assured. I have also been told that the comments from the old site of SHS will soon also be imported. Thanks again for your . . . . Continue Reading »
Our changeover is almost complete. SHS can still be accessed at www.wesleyjsmith.com. Soon the redirect will work faster. But for those who want to link it directly, the new URL is http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/secondhandsmoke . Muchas gracias. Merci. Danke. Much . . . . Continue Reading »
The skill in desire and aversion is knowing how to preserve the practical self from dissolution. — OAKESHOTT As will one day be elaborated in a dissertation, Machiavelli’s eponymous Prince lived — and killed — by surfeit of this virtu ; Shakespeare’s Prince Hamlet . . . . Continue Reading »
Our very own Helen Rittelmeyer has had an article published in the current issue of Doublethink entitled ‘Toward a Bioethics of Love’ . Here’s a teaser: To frame the idea in a different way, we all hope for our friends’ continual self-improvement: that our favorite . . . . Continue Reading »
The Dutch don’t enforce their “protective” euthanasia guidelines in any meaningful way if the doctor does the killing. But if a non physician assists a suicide, there will be a (minor) consequence. Several years ago, for example, a nurse assisted a suicide and received a two month . . . . Continue Reading »
Okay, so, I’m thinking Dante —Dude, I know he’s a poet. No, I don’t really know what they do, either. Wait, wait, he’s a poet, but he’s, like, a poet . . . warrior. With a sword. You know, “The sword is mightier than the pen.” Whatever. Anyway, so he . . . . Continue Reading »
Assisted suicide advocacy, like effective advertising, creates a demand where it might not have existed before. That seems to be happening in the UK, where 800 people are reportedly on a waiting list to receive assisted suicide at the hands of Swiss suicide clinics. Check out Secondhand Smoke for . . . . Continue Reading »
PAT does a very fine job reminding us that gay marriage only became plausible at a certain point in the long process of the Lockeanization of marriage. If the institution is all about rights with no corresponding duties then we really can’t explain why all Americans — including, of . . . . Continue Reading »
Subscribe
Latest Issue
Support First Things
