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TheStupidityofDignity
Conservativebioethics'latest,mostdangerousploy.
StevenPinker,TheNewRepublicPublished:Wednesday,May28,2008

Thisspring,thePresident'sCouncilonBioethicsreleaseda555
pagereport,titledHumanDignityandBioethics.TheCouncil,
createdin2001byGeorgeW.Bush,isapanelofscholars
chargedwithadvisingthepresidentandexploringpolicyissues
relatedtotheethicsofbiomedicalinnovation,includingdrugs
thatwouldenhancecognition,geneticmanipulationofanimals
orhumans,therapiesthatcouldextendthelifespan,and
embryonicstemcellsandsocalled"therapeuticcloning"that
couldfurnishreplacementsfordiseasedtissueandorgans.
Advanceslikethese,iftranslatedintofreelyundertaken
treatments,couldmakemillionsofpeoplebetteroffandnoone
worseoff.Sowhat'snottolike?Theadvancesdonotraisethe
traditionalconcernsofbioethics,whichfocusesonpotential
harmandcoercionofpatientsorresearchsubjects.What,
then,aretheethicalconcernsthatcallforapresidential
Credit:FelixSockwell
council?
Manypeoplearevaguelydisquietedbydevelopments(realorimagined)thatcouldaltermindsandbodiesin
novelways.RomanticsandGreenstendtoidealizethenaturalanddemonizetechnology.Traditionalistsand
conservativesbytemperamentdistrustradicalchange.Egalitariansworryaboutanarmsracein
enhancementtechniques.Andanyoneislikelytohavea"yuck"responsewhencontemplating
unprecedentedmanipulationsofourbiology.ThePresident'sCouncilhasbecomeaforumfortheairingof
thisdisquiet,andtheconceptof"dignity"arubricforexpoundingonit.Thiscollectionofessaysisthe
culminationofalongeffortbytheCounciltoplacedignityatthecenterofbioethics.Thegeneralfeelingis
that,evenifanewtechnologywouldimprovelifeandhealthanddecreasesufferingandwaste,itmight
havetoberejected,orevenoutlawed,ifitaffrontedhumandignity.
Whateverthatis.Theproblemisthat"dignity"isasquishy,subjectivenotion,hardlyuptotheheavyweight
moraldemandsassignedtoit.ThebioethicistRuthMacklin,whohadbeenfedupwithloosetalkabout
dignityintendedtosquelchresearchandtherapy,threwdownthegauntletina2003editorial,"DignityIsa
UselessConcept."Macklinarguedthatbioethicshasdonejustfinewiththeprincipleofpersonalautonomy
theideathat,becauseallhumanshavethesameminimumcapacitytosuffer,prosper,reason,andchoose,
nohumanhastherighttoimpingeonthelife,body,orfreedomofanother.Thisiswhyinformedconsent
servesasthebedrockofethicalresearchandpractice,anditclearlyrulesoutthekindsofabusesthatledto
thebirthofbioethicsinthefirstplace,suchasMengele'ssadisticpseudoexperimentsinNaziGermanyand
thewithholdingoftreatmenttoindigentblackpatientsintheinfamousTuskegeesyphilisstudy.Onceyou
recognizetheprincipleofautonomy,Macklinargued,"dignity"addsnothing.
GoadedbyMacklin'sessay,theCouncilacknowledgedtheneedtoputdignityonafirmerconceptual
foundation.Thisvolumeof28essaysandcommentariesbyCouncilmembersandinvitedcontributorsis
theirdeliverable,addresseddirectlytoPresidentBush.Thereportdoesnot,theeditorsadmit,settlethe
questionofwhatdignityisorhowitshouldguideourpolicies.Itdoes,however,revealagreatdealabout
theapproachtobioethicsrepresentedbytheCouncil.Andwhatitrevealsshouldalarmanyoneconcerned
withAmericanbiomedicineanditspromisetoimprovehumanwelfare.Forthisgovernmentsponsored
bioethicsdoesnotwantmedicalpracticetomaximizehealthandflourishingitconsidersthatquesttobea
badthing,notagoodthing.

Tounderstandthesourceofthistopsyturvyvaluesystem,onehastolookmoredeeplyatthecurrents
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thatunderlietheCouncil.AlthoughtheDignityreportpresentsitselfasascholarlydeliberationofuniversal
moralconcerns,itspringsfromamovementtoimposearadicalpoliticalagenda,fedbyferventreligious
impulses,ontoAmericanbiomedicine.
Thereport'soddnessbeginswithitslistofcontributors.Two(AdamSchulmanandDanielDavis)areCouncil
staffers,andwrotesuperbintroductorypieces.Oftheremaining21,four(LeonR.Kass,DavidGelernter,
RobertGeorge,andRobertKraynak)arevociferousadvocatesofacentralroleforreligioninmoralityand
publiclife,andanotherelevenworkforChristianinstitutions(allbuttwooftheinstitutionsCatholic).Of
course,institutionalaffiliationdoesnotentailpartiality,but,withthreequartersoftheinvitedcontributors
havingreligiousentanglements,onegetsasensethatthefixisin.Adeeperlookconfirmsit.
Conspicuousbytheirabsenceareseveralfieldsofexpertisethatonemighthavethoughtwouldhave
somethingtoofferanydiscussionofdignityandbiomedicine.Noneofthecontributorsisalifescientistora
psychologist,ananthropologist,asociologist,orahistorian.Accordingtooneoftheintroductorychapters,
theCounciltakesa"criticalviewofcontemporaryacademicbioethicsandofthewaybioethicalquestionsare
debatedinthepublicsquare"socritical,itseems,thatMacklin(thevillainofalmosteverypiece)wasnot
invitedtoexpandonherargument,norweremainstreambioethicists(whotendtobesympatheticto
Macklin'sviewpoint)givenanopportunitytodefendit.
Despitetheseexclusions,thevolumefindsroomforsevenessaysthataligntheirargumentswithJudeo
Christiandoctrine.WereadpassagesthatassumethedivineauthorshipoftheBible,thataccepttheliteral
truthofthemiraclesnarratedinGenesis(suchasthenotionthatthebiblicalpatriarchslivedupto900
years),thatclaimthatdivinerevelationisasourceoftruth,thatarguefortheexistenceofanimmaterial
soulseparatefromthephysiologyofthebrain,andthatassertthattheOldTestamentistheonlygrounds
formorality(forexample,thearticlebyKassclaimsthatrespectforhumanlifeisrootedinGenesis9:6,in
whichGodinstructsthesurvivorsofhisFloodinthecodeofvendetta:"Whososheddethman'sblood,by
manshallhisbloodbeshed,forintheimageofGodwasmanmade").
TheJudeoChristianinsomecases,explicitlybiblicalargumentsfoundinessayafteressayinthisvolume
arequiteextraordinary.Yet,asidefromtwoparagraphsinacommentarybyDanielDennett,thevolume
containsnocriticalexaminationofanyofitsreligiousclaims.
HowdidtheUnitedStates,theworld'sscientificpowerhouse,reachapointatwhichitgrappleswiththe
ethicalchallengesoftwentyfirstcenturybiomedicineusingBiblestories,Catholicdoctrine,andwoolly
rabbinicalallegory?PartoftheanswerlieswiththeoutsizeinfluenceofKass,theCouncil'sfoundingdirector
(andanoccasionalcontributortoTNR),whocametoprominenceinthe1970swithhismoralistic
condemnationofinvitrofertilization,thenpopularlyknownas"testtubebabies."Assoonastheprocedure
becamefeasible,thecountryswiftlyleftKassbehind,and,formostpeopletoday,itisanethicalnobrainer.
ThatdidnotstopKassfromsubsequentlyassailingabroadswathofothermedicalpracticesasethically
troubling,includingorgantransplants,autopsies,contraception,antidepressants,eventhedissectionof
cadavers.
Kassfrequentlymakeshiscaseusingappealsto"humandignity"(andrelatedexpressionslike"fundamental
aspectsofhumanexistence"and"thecentralcoreofourhumanity").Inanessaywiththerevealingtitle
"L'ChaimandItsLimits,"Kassvoicedhisfrustrationthattherabbishespokewithjustcouldn'tseewhat
wassoterribleabouttechnologiesthatwouldextendlife,health,andfertility."Thedesiretoprolong
youthfulness,"hewroteinreply,is"anexpressionofachildishandnarcissisticwishincompatiblewith
devotiontoposterity."Theyearsthatwouldbeaddedtootherpeople'slives,hejudged,werenotworth
living:"Wouldprofessionaltennisplayersreallyenjoyplaying25percentmoregamesoftennis?"And,as
empiricalevidencethat"mortalitymakeslifematter,"henotesthattheGreekgodslived"shallowand
frivolouslives"anexampleofhisdisconcertinghabitoftreatingfictionasfact.(KasscitesBraveNewWorld
fivetimesinhisDignityessay.)
Kasshasaproblemnotjustwithlongevityandhealthbutwiththemodernconceptionoffreedom.Thereis
a"mortaldanger,"hewrites,inthenotion"thatapersonhasarightoverhisbody,arightthatallowshim
todowhateverhewantstodowithit."Heistroubledbycosmeticsurgery,bygenderreassignment,andby
womenwhopostponemotherhoodorchoosetoremainsingleintheirtwenties.Sometimeshisfixationon
dignitytakeshimrightoffthedeepend:
Worstofallfromthispointofviewarethosemoreuncivilizedformsofeating,likelickinganice
creamconeacatlikeactivitythathasbeenmadeacceptableininformalAmericabutthatstill
offendsthosewhoknoweatinginpublicisoffensive....Eatingonthestreetevenwhen
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undertaken,say,becauseoneisbetweenappointmentsandhasnoothertimetoeatdisplays
[a]lackofselfcontrol:Itbeckonsenslavementtothebelly....Lackingutensilsforcuttingand
liftingtomouth,hewilloftenbeseenusinghisteethfortearingoffchewableportions,justlike
anyanimal....Thisdoglikefeeding,ifonemustengageinit,oughttobekeptfrompublicview,
where,evenifwefeelnoshame,othersarecompelledtowitnessourshamefulbehavior.
And,in2001,thisman,whoseprodeath,antifreedomviewsputhimwelloutsidetheAmerican
mainstream,becamethePresident'sadviseronbioethicsapositionfromwhichheconvincedthepresident
tooutlawfederallyfundedresearchthatusednewstemcelllines.Inhisspeechannouncingthestemcell
policy,BushinvitedKasstoformtheCouncil.Kasspackeditwithconservativescholarsandpundits,
advocatesofreligious(particularlyCatholic)principlesinthepublicsphere,andwriterswithapapertrailof
skittishnesstowardbiomedicaladvances,togetherwithasmatteringofscientists(mostlywithareputation
forbeingreligiousorpoliticallyconservative).AfterseveralmembersopposedKassonembryonicstemcell
research,ontherapeuticcloning(whichKasswasinfavorofcriminalizing),andonthedistortionsofscience
thatkeptfindingtheirwayintoCouncilreports,Kassfiredtwoofthem(biologistElizabethBlackburnand
philosopherWilliamMay)andreplacedthemwithChristianaffiliatedscholars.
ThoughKasshasjawbonedhisversionofbioethicsintogovernmentaldeliberationandpolicy,itisnotjusta
personalobsessionofhisbutpartofalargermovement,onethatisincreasinglyassociatedwithCatholic
institutions.(In2005,KassrelinquishedtheCouncilchairmanshiptoEdmundPellegrino,an85yearold
medicalethicistandformerpresidentoftheCatholicUniversityofAmerica.)EveryoneknowsabouttheBush
administration'salliancewithevangelicalProtestantism.ButthepervasiveCatholicflavoringoftheCouncil,
particularlyitsDignityreport,isatfirstglancepuzzling.Infact,itispartofapowerfulbutlittleknown
developmentinAmericanpolitics,recentlydocumentedbyDamonLinkerinhisbookTheTheocons.
Fortwodecades,agroupofintellectualactivists,manyofwhomhadjumpedfromtheradicallefttothe
radicalright,hasurgedthatwerethinktheEnlightenmentrootsoftheAmericansocialorder.The
recognitionofarighttolife,liberty,andthepursuitofhappinessandthemandateofgovernmenttosecure
theserightsaretootepid,theyargue,foramorallyworthysociety.Thisimpoverishedvisionhasonlyledto
anomie,hedonism,andrampantimmoralbehaviorsuchasillegitimacy,pornography,andabortion.Society
shouldaimhigherthanthisbarebonesindividualismandpromoteconformitytomorerigorousmoral
standards,onesthatcouldbeappliedtoourbehaviorbyanauthoritylargerthanourselves.
Sinceepisodesofdivinerevelationseemtohavedecreasedinrecentmillennia,theproblembecomeswho
willformulateandinterpretthesestandards.Mostoftoday'sdenominationsarenotuptothetask:
EvangelicalProtestantismistooantiintellectual,andmainstreamProtestantismandJudaismtoo
humanistic.TheCatholicChurch,withitslongtraditionofscholarshipanditsrocksolidmoralprecepts,
becamethenaturalhomeforthismovement,andthejournalFirstThings,undertheleadershipofFather
RichardJohnNeuhaus,itsmouthpiece.Catholicismnowprovidestheintellectualmusclebehindamovement
thatembracessociallyconservativeJewishandProtestantintellectualsaswell.WhenNeuhausmetwith
Bushin1998ashewasplanninghisrunforthepresidency,theyimmediatelyhititoff.
ThreeoftheoriginalCouncilmembers(includingKass)areboardmembersofFirstThings,andNeuhaus
himselfcontributedanessaytotheDignityvolume.Inaddition,fiveothermembershavecontributed
articlestoFirstThingsovertheyears.Theconceptofdignityisnaturalgroundonwhichtobuildan
obstructionistbioethics.Anallegedbreachofdignityprovidesawayforthirdpartiestopassjudgmenton
actionsthatareknowinglyandwillinglychosenbytheaffectedindividuals.Itthusoffersamoralistic
justificationforexpandedgovernmentregulationofscience,medicine,andprivatelife.AndtheChurch's
franchisetoguidepeopleinthemostprofoundeventsoftheirlivesbirth,death,andreproductionisin
dangerofbeingunderminedwhenbiomedicinescramblestherules.It'snotsurprising,then,that"dignity"is
arecurringthemeinCatholicdoctrine:Thewordappearsmorethan100timesinthe1997editionofthe
CatechismandisaleitmotifintheVatican'srecentpronouncementsonbiomedicine.

Tobefair,mostofthechaptersintheDignityvolumedon'tappealdirectlytoCatholicdoctrine,andof
coursethevalidityofanargumentcannotbejudgedfromthemotivesoraffiliationsofitschampions.Judged
solelyonthemeritsoftheirarguments,howwelldotheessayistsclarifytheconceptofdignity?
Bytheirownadmission,notverywell.Almosteveryessayistconcedesthattheconceptremainsslipperyand
ambiguous.Infact,itspawnsoutrightcontradictionsateveryturn.Wereadthatslaveryanddegradation
aremorallywrongbecausetheytakesomeone'sdignityaway.Butwealsoreadthatnothingyoucandotoa
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person,includingenslavingordegradinghim,cantakehisdignityaway.Wereadthatdignityreflects
excellence,striving,andconscience,sothatonlysomepeopleachieveitbydintofeffortandcharacter.We
alsoreadthateveryone,nomatterhowlazy,evil,ormentallyimpaired,hasdignityinfullmeasure.Several
essayistsplaythegenocidecardandclaimthatthehorrorsofthetwentiethcenturyarewhatyougetwhen
youfailtoholddignitysacrosanct.Butonehardlyneedsthenotionof"dignity"tosaywhyit'swrongtogas
sixmillionJewsortosendRussiandissidentstothegulag.
So,despitethebesteffortsofthecontributors,theconceptofdignityremainsamess.Thereason,Ithink,is
thatdignityhasthreefeaturesthatundermineanypossibilityofusingitasafoundationforbioethics.
First,dignityisrelative.Onedoesn'thavetobeascientificormoralrelativisttonoticethatascriptionsof
dignityvaryradicallywiththetime,place,andbeholder.Inoldendays,aglimpseofstockingwaslookedon
assomethingshocking.WechuckleatthephotographsofVictoriansinstarchedcollarsandwoolsuitshiking
inthewoodsonaswelteringday,orattheBrahminsandpatriarchsofcountlesssocietieswhoconsiderit
beneaththeirdignitytopickupadishorplaywithachild.ThorsteinVeblenwroteofaFrenchkingwho
considereditbeneathhisdignitytomovehisthronebackfromthefireplace,andonenightroastedtodeath
whenhisattendantfailedtoshowup.Kassfindsotherpeoplelickinganicecreamconetobeshamefully
undignifiedIhavenoproblemwithit.
Second,dignityisfungible.TheCouncilandVaticantreatdignityasasacredvalue,nevertobe
compromised.Infact,everyoneofusvoluntarilyandrepeatedlyrelinquishesdignityforothergoodsinlife.
Gettingoutofasmallcarisundignified.Havingsexisundignified.Doffingyourbeltandspreadeaglingto
allowasecurityguardtoslideawandupyourcrotchisundignified.Mostpointedly,modernmedicineisa
gantletofindignities.Mostreadersofthisarticlehaveundergoneapelvicorrectalexamination,andmany
havehadthepleasureofacolonoscopyaswell.Werepeatedlyvotewithourfeet(andotherbodyparts)that
dignityisatrivialvalue,wellworthtradingoffforlife,health,andsafety.
Third,dignitycanbeharmful.InhercommentsontheDignityvolume,JeanBethkeElshtainrhetorically
asked,"Hasanythinggoodevercomefromdenyingorconstrictinghumandignity?"Theanswerisan
emphatic"yes."Everysashedandbemedaleddespotreviewinghistroopsfromaloftyplatformseeksto
commandrespectthroughostentatiousdisplaysofdignity.Politicalandreligiousrepressionsareoften
rationalizedasadefenseofthedignityofastate,leader,orcreed:JustthinkoftheSalmanRushdiefatwa,
theDanishcartoonriots,ortheBritishschoolteacherinSudanwhofacedfloggingandalynchmobbecause
herclassnamedateddybearMohammed.Indeed,totalitarianismisoftentheimpositionofaleader's
conceptionofdignityonapopulation,suchastheidenticaluniformsinMaoistChinaortheburqasofthe
Taliban.
Afreesocietydisempowersthestatefromenforcingaconceptionofdignityonitscitizens.Democratic
governmentsallowsatiriststopokefunattheirleaders,institutions,andsocialmores.Andtheyabjureany
mandatetodefine"somevisionof'thegoodlife'"orthe"dignityofusing[freedom]well"(twoquotesfrom
theCouncil'svolume).Thepriceoffreedomistoleratingbehaviorbyothersthatmaybeundignifiedbyour
ownlights.IwouldbehappyifBritneySpearsand"AmericanIdol"wouldgoaway,butIputupwiththemin
returnfornothavingtoworryaboutbeingarrestedbytheicecreampolice.Thistradeoffisverymuchin
America'sDNAandisoneofitsgreatcontributionstocivilization:mycountry'tisofthee,sweetlandof
liberty.

Soisdignityauselessconcept?Almost.Theworddoeshaveanidentifiablesense,whichgivesitaclaim,
thoughalimitedone,onourmoralconsideration.
Dignityisaphenomenonofhumanperception.Certainsignalsfromtheworldtriggeranattributioninthe
mindofaperceiver.Justasconverginglinesinadrawingareacuefortheperceptionofdepth,and
differencesinloudnessbetweenthetwoearscueustothepositionofasound,certainfeaturesinanother
humanbeingtriggerascriptionsofworth.Thesefeaturesincludesignsofcomposure,cleanliness,maturity,
attractiveness,andcontrolofthebody.Theperceptionofdignityinturnelicitsaresponseintheperceiver.
Justasthesmellofbakingbreadtriggersadesiretoeatit,andthesightofababy'sfacetriggersadesireto
protectit,theappearanceofdignitytriggersadesiretoesteemandrespectthedignifiedperson.
Thisexplainswhydignityismorallysignificant:Weshouldnotignoreaphenomenonthatcausesoneperson
torespecttherightsandinterestsofanother.Butitalsoexplainswhydignityisrelative,fungible,andoften
harmful.Dignityisskindeep:it'sthesizzle,notthesteakthecover,notthebook.Whatultimatelymatters
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isrespectfortheperson,nottheperceptualsignalsthattypicallytriggerit.Indeed,thegapbetween
perceptionandrealitymakesusvulnerabletodignityillusions.Wemaybeimpressedbysignsofdignity
withoutunderlyingmerit,asinthetinpotdictator,andfailtorecognizemeritinapersonwhohasbeen
strippedofthesignsofdignity,suchasapauperorrefugee.
Exactlywhataspectsofdignityshouldwerespect?Foronething,peoplegenerallywanttobeseenas
dignified.Dignityisthusoneoftheinterestsofaperson,alongsidebodilyintegrityandpersonalproperty,
thatotherpeopleareobligatedtorespect.Wedon'twantanyonetostomponourtoeswedon'twant
anyonetostealourhubcapsandwedon'twantanyonetoopenthebathroomdoorwhenwe'resittingon
thejohn.Avalueondignityinthisprecisesensedoeshaveanapplicationtobiomedicine,namelygreater
attentiontothedignityofpatientswhenitdoesnotcompromisetheirmedicaltreatment.Thevolume
containsfinediscussionsbyPellegrinoandbyRebeccaDresserontheavoidablehumiliationsthattoday's
patientsareoftenforcedtoendure(likethosehideoushospitalsmocksthatareopenattheback).Noone
couldobjecttovaluingdignityinthissense,andthat'sthepoint.Whentheconceptofdignityisprecisely
specified,itbecomesamundanematterofthoughtfulnesspushingagainstcallousnessandbureaucratic
inertia,notacontentiousmoralconundrum.And,becauseitamountstotreatingpeopleinthewaythat
theywishtobetreated,ultimatelyit'sjustanotherapplicationoftheprincipleofautonomy.
Thereisasecondreasontogivedignityameasureofcautiousrespect.Reductionsindignitymayhardenthe
perceiver'sheartandloosenhisinhibitionsagainstmistreatingtheperson.Whenpeoplearedegradedand
humiliated,suchasJewsinNaziGermanybeingforcedtowearyellowarmbandsordissidentsintheCultural
Revolutionbeingforcedtoweargrotesquehaircutsandcostumes,onlookersfinditeasiertodespisethem.
Similarly,whenrefugees,prisoners,andotherpariahsareforcedtoliveinsqualor,itcansetoffaspiralof
dehumanizationandmistreatment.ThiswasdemonstratedinthefamousStanfordprisonexperiment,in
whichvolunteersassignedtobe"prisoners"hadtowearsmocksandlegironsandwerereferredtobyserial
numbersinsteadofnames.Thevolunteersassignedtobe"guards"spontaneouslybegantobrutalizethem.
Note,though,thatallthesecasesinvolvecoercion,soonceagaintheyareruledoutbyautonomyand
respectforpersons.So,evenwhenbreachesofdignityleadtoanidentifiableharm,it'sultimatelyautonomy
andrespectforpersonsthatgivesusthegroundsforcondemningit.
Couldtherebecasesinwhichavoluntaryrelinquishingofdignityleadstocallousnessinonlookersandharm
tothirdpartieswhateconomistscallnegativeexternalities?Intheory,yes.Perhapsifpeopleallowedtheir
corpsestobepubliclydesecrated,itwouldencourageviolenceagainstthebodiesoftheliving.Perhapsthe
sportofdwarftossingencouragespeopletomistreatalldwarves.Perhapsviolentpornographyencourages
violenceagainstwomen.But,forsuchhypothesestojustifyrestrictivelaws,theyneedempiricalsupport.In
one'simagination,anythingcanleadtoanythingelse:Allowingpeopletoskipchurchcanleadtoindolence
lettingwomendrivecanleadtosexuallicentiousness.Inafreesociety,onecannotempowerthe
governmenttooutlawanybehaviorthatoffendssomeonejustbecausetheoffendeecanpullahypothetical
futureinjuryoutoftheair.NodoubtMao,Savonarola,andCottonMathercouldprovideplentyofreasons
whylettingpeopledowhattheywantedwouldleadtothebreakdownofsociety.

ThesicknessintheoconbioethicsgoesbeyondimposingaCatholicagendaonaseculardemocracyand
using"dignity"tocondemnanythingthatgivessomeonethecreeps.EversincethecloningofDollythe
sheepadecadeago,thepanicsownbyconservativebioethicists,amplifiedbyasensationalistpress,has
turnedthepublicdiscussionofbioethicsintoamiasmaofscientificilliteracy.BraveNewWorld,aworkof
fiction,istreatedasinerrantprophesy.Cloningisconfusedwithresurrectingthedeadormassproducing
babies.Longevitybecomes"immortality,"improvementbecomes"perfection,"thescreeningfordisease
genesbecomes"designerbabies"oreven"reshapingthespecies."Therealityisthatbiomedicalresearchisa
Sisypheanstruggletoekesmallincrementsinhealthfromastaggeringlycomplex,entropybesethuman
body.Itisnot,andprobablyneverwillbe,arunawaytrain.
Amajorsinoftheoconbioethicsisexactlytheonethatitseesinbiomedicalresearch:overweeninghubris.
Ineveryage,prophetsforeseedystopiasthatnevermaterialize,whilefailingtoanticipatethereal
revolutions.HadtherebeenaPresident'sCouncilonCyberethicsinthe1960s,nodoubtitwouldhave
decriedthethreatoftheInternet,sinceitwouldinexorablyleadto1984,ortocomputers"takingover"like
HALin2001.Conservativebioethicistspresumetosoothsaytheoutcomeofthequintessentially
unpredictableendeavorcalledscientificresearch.Andtheywouldstagemanagethekindsofsocialchange
that,inafreesociety,onlyemergeashundredsofmillionsofpeopleweighthecostsandbenefitsofnew
developmentsforthemselves,adjustingtheirmoresanddealingwithspecificharmsastheyarise,asthey
didwithinvitrofertilizationandtheInternet.
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Worstofall,theoconbioethicsflauntsacallousnesstowardthebillionsofnongeriatricpeople,bornand
unborn,whoselivesorhealthcouldbesavedbybiomedicaladvances.Evenifprogressweredelayedamere
decadebymoratoria,redtape,andfundingtaboos(tosaynothingofthethreatofcriminalprosecution),
millionsofpeoplewithdegenerativediseasesandfailingorganswouldneedlesslysufferanddie.Andthat
wouldbethebiggestaffronttohumandignityofall.
StevenPinkerisJohnstoneProfessorofPsychologyatHarvardandtheauthorofTheStuffofThought.

Copyright2007TheNewRepublic.Allrightsreserved.

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