The Stupidity of Dignity
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14/6/2015 TheStupidityofDignity
http://pinker.wjh.harvard.edu/articles/media/The%20Stupidity%20of%20Dignity.htm 1/6
Credit:FelixSockwell
TheStupidityofDignityConservativebioethics'latest,mostdangerousploy.
StevenPinker,TheNewRepublicPublished:Wednesday,May28,2008
Thisspring,thePresident'sCouncilonBioethicsreleaseda555pagereport,titledHumanDignityandBioethics.TheCouncil,createdin2001byGeorgeW.Bush,isapanelofscholarschargedwithadvisingthepresidentandexploringpolicyissuesrelatedtotheethicsofbiomedicalinnovation,includingdrugsthatwouldenhancecognition,geneticmanipulationofanimalsorhumans,therapiesthatcouldextendthelifespan,andembryonicstemcellsandsocalled"therapeuticcloning"thatcouldfurnishreplacementsfordiseasedtissueandorgans.Advanceslikethese,iftranslatedintofreelyundertakentreatments,couldmakemillionsofpeoplebetteroffandnooneworseoff.Sowhat'snottolike?Theadvancesdonotraisethetraditionalconcernsofbioethics,whichfocusesonpotentialharmandcoercionofpatientsorresearchsubjects.What,then,aretheethicalconcernsthatcallforapresidentialcouncil?
Manypeoplearevaguelydisquietedbydevelopments(realorimagined)thatcouldaltermindsandbodiesinnovelways.RomanticsandGreenstendtoidealizethenaturalanddemonizetechnology.Traditionalistsandconservativesbytemperamentdistrustradicalchange.Egalitariansworryaboutanarmsraceinenhancementtechniques.Andanyoneislikelytohavea"yuck"responsewhencontemplatingunprecedentedmanipulationsofourbiology.ThePresident'sCouncilhasbecomeaforumfortheairingofthisdisquiet,andtheconceptof"dignity"arubricforexpoundingonit.ThiscollectionofessaysistheculminationofalongeffortbytheCounciltoplacedignityatthecenterofbioethics.Thegeneralfeelingisthat,evenifanewtechnologywouldimprovelifeandhealthanddecreasesufferingandwaste,itmighthavetoberejected,orevenoutlawed,ifitaffrontedhumandignity.
Whateverthatis.Theproblemisthat"dignity"isasquishy,subjectivenotion,hardlyuptotheheavyweightmoraldemandsassignedtoit.ThebioethicistRuthMacklin,whohadbeenfedupwithloosetalkaboutdignityintendedtosquelchresearchandtherapy,threwdownthegauntletina2003editorial,"DignityIsaUselessConcept."Macklinarguedthatbioethicshasdonejustfinewiththeprincipleofpersonalautonomytheideathat,becauseallhumanshavethesameminimumcapacitytosuffer,prosper,reason,andchoose,nohumanhastherighttoimpingeonthelife,body,orfreedomofanother.Thisiswhyinformedconsentservesasthebedrockofethicalresearchandpractice,anditclearlyrulesoutthekindsofabusesthatledtothebirthofbioethicsinthefirstplace,suchasMengele'ssadisticpseudoexperimentsinNaziGermanyandthewithholdingoftreatmenttoindigentblackpatientsintheinfamousTuskegeesyphilisstudy.Onceyourecognizetheprincipleofautonomy,Macklinargued,"dignity"addsnothing.
GoadedbyMacklin'sessay,theCouncilacknowledgedtheneedtoputdignityonafirmerconceptualfoundation.Thisvolumeof28essaysandcommentariesbyCouncilmembersandinvitedcontributorsistheirdeliverable,addresseddirectlytoPresidentBush.Thereportdoesnot,theeditorsadmit,settlethequestionofwhatdignityisorhowitshouldguideourpolicies.Itdoes,however,revealagreatdealabouttheapproachtobioethicsrepresentedbytheCouncil.AndwhatitrevealsshouldalarmanyoneconcernedwithAmericanbiomedicineanditspromisetoimprovehumanwelfare.Forthisgovernmentsponsoredbioethicsdoesnotwantmedicalpracticetomaximizehealthandflourishingitconsidersthatquesttobeabadthing,notagoodthing.
Tounderstandthesourceofthistopsyturvyvaluesystem,onehastolookmoredeeplyatthecurrents
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thatunderlietheCouncil.AlthoughtheDignityreportpresentsitselfasascholarlydeliberationofuniversalmoralconcerns,itspringsfromamovementtoimposearadicalpoliticalagenda,fedbyferventreligiousimpulses,ontoAmericanbiomedicine.
Thereport'soddnessbeginswithitslistofcontributors.Two(AdamSchulmanandDanielDavis)areCouncilstaffers,andwrotesuperbintroductorypieces.Oftheremaining21,four(LeonR.Kass,DavidGelernter,RobertGeorge,andRobertKraynak)arevociferousadvocatesofacentralroleforreligioninmoralityandpubliclife,andanotherelevenworkforChristianinstitutions(allbuttwooftheinstitutionsCatholic).Ofcourse,institutionalaffiliationdoesnotentailpartiality,but,withthreequartersoftheinvitedcontributorshavingreligiousentanglements,onegetsasensethatthefixisin.Adeeperlookconfirmsit.
Conspicuousbytheirabsenceareseveralfieldsofexpertisethatonemighthavethoughtwouldhavesomethingtoofferanydiscussionofdignityandbiomedicine.Noneofthecontributorsisalifescientistorapsychologist,ananthropologist,asociologist,orahistorian.Accordingtooneoftheintroductorychapters,theCounciltakesa"criticalviewofcontemporaryacademicbioethicsandofthewaybioethicalquestionsaredebatedinthepublicsquare"socritical,itseems,thatMacklin(thevillainofalmosteverypiece)wasnotinvitedtoexpandonherargument,norweremainstreambioethicists(whotendtobesympathetictoMacklin'sviewpoint)givenanopportunitytodefendit.
Despitetheseexclusions,thevolumefindsroomforsevenessaysthataligntheirargumentswithJudeoChristiandoctrine.WereadpassagesthatassumethedivineauthorshipoftheBible,thataccepttheliteraltruthofthemiraclesnarratedinGenesis(suchasthenotionthatthebiblicalpatriarchslivedupto900years),thatclaimthatdivinerevelationisasourceoftruth,thatarguefortheexistenceofanimmaterialsoulseparatefromthephysiologyofthebrain,andthatassertthattheOldTestamentistheonlygroundsformorality(forexample,thearticlebyKassclaimsthatrespectforhumanlifeisrootedinGenesis9:6,inwhichGodinstructsthesurvivorsofhisFloodinthecodeofvendetta:"Whososheddethman'sblood,bymanshallhisbloodbeshed,forintheimageofGodwasmanmade").
TheJudeoChristianinsomecases,explicitlybiblicalargumentsfoundinessayafteressayinthisvolumearequiteextraordinary.Yet,asidefromtwoparagraphsinacommentarybyDanielDennett,thevolumecontainsnocriticalexaminationofanyofitsreligiousclaims.
HowdidtheUnitedStates,theworld'sscientificpowerhouse,reachapointatwhichitgrappleswiththeethicalchallengesoftwentyfirstcenturybiomedicineusingBiblestories,Catholicdoctrine,andwoollyrabbinicalallegory?PartoftheanswerlieswiththeoutsizeinfluenceofKass,theCouncil'sfoundingdirector(andanoccasionalcontributortoTNR),whocametoprominenceinthe1970swithhismoralisticcondemnationofinvitrofertilization,thenpopularlyknownas"testtubebabies."Assoonastheprocedurebecamefeasible,thecountryswiftlyleftKassbehind,and,formostpeopletoday,itisanethicalnobrainer.ThatdidnotstopKassfromsubsequentlyassailingabroadswathofothermedicalpracticesasethicallytroubling,includingorgantransplants,autopsies,contraception,antidepressants,eventhedissectionofcadavers.
Kassfrequentlymakeshiscaseusingappealsto"humandignity"(andrelatedexpressionslike"fundamentalaspectsofhumanexistence"and"thecentralcoreofourhumanity").Inanessaywiththerevealingtitle"L'ChaimandItsLimits,"Kassvoicedhisfrustrationthattherabbishespokewithjustcouldn'tseewhatwassoterribleabouttechnologiesthatwouldextendlife,health,andfertility."Thedesiretoprolongyouthfulness,"hewroteinreply,is"anexpressionofachildishandnarcissisticwishincompatiblewithdevotiontoposterity."Theyearsthatwouldbeaddedtootherpeople'slives,hejudged,werenotworthliving:"Wouldprofessionaltennisplayersreallyenjoyplaying25percentmoregamesoftennis?"And,asempiricalevidencethat"mortalitymakeslifematter,"henotesthattheGreekgodslived"shallowandfrivolouslives"anexampleofhisdisconcertinghabitoftreatingfictionasfact.(KasscitesBraveNewWorldfivetimesinhisDignityessay.)
Kasshasaproblemnotjustwithlongevityandhealthbutwiththemodernconceptionoffreedom.Thereisa"mortaldanger,"hewrites,inthenotion"thatapersonhasarightoverhisbody,arightthatallowshimtodowhateverhewantstodowithit."Heistroubledbycosmeticsurgery,bygenderreassignment,andbywomenwhopostponemotherhoodorchoosetoremainsingleintheirtwenties.Sometimeshisfixationondignitytakeshimrightoffthedeepend:
Worstofallfromthispointofviewarethosemoreuncivilizedformsofeating,likelickinganicecreamconeacatlikeactivitythathasbeenmadeacceptableininformalAmericabutthatstilloffendsthosewhoknoweatinginpublicisoffensive....Eatingonthestreetevenwhen
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undertaken,say,becauseoneisbetweenappointmentsandhasnoothertimetoeatdisplays[a]lackofselfcontrol:Itbeckonsenslavementtothebelly....Lackingutensilsforcuttingandliftingtomouth,hewilloftenbeseenusinghisteethfortearingoffchewableportions,justlikeanyanimal....Thisdoglikefeeding,ifonemustengageinit,oughttobekeptfrompublicview,where,evenifwefeelnoshame,othersarecompelledtowitnessourshamefulbehavior.
And,in2001,thisman,whoseprodeath,antifreedomviewsputhimwelloutsidetheAmericanmainstream,becamethePresident'sadviseronbioethicsapositionfromwhichheconvincedthepresidenttooutlawfederallyfundedresearchthatusednewstemcelllines.Inhisspeechannouncingthestemcellpolicy,BushinvitedKasstoformtheCouncil.Kasspackeditwithconservativescholarsandpundits,advocatesofreligious(particularlyCatholic)principlesinthepublicsphere,andwriterswithapapertrailofskittishnesstowardbiomedicaladvances,togetherwithasmatteringofscientists(mostlywithareputationforbeingreligiousorpoliticallyconservative).AfterseveralmembersopposedKassonembryonicstemcellresearch,ontherapeuticcloning(whichKasswasinfavorofcriminalizing),andonthedistortionsofsciencethatkeptfindingtheirwayintoCouncilreports,Kassfiredtwoofthem(biologistElizabethBlackburnandphilosopherWilliamMay)andreplacedthemwithChristianaffiliatedscholars.
ThoughKasshasjawbonedhisversionofbioethicsintogovernmentaldeliberationandpolicy,itisnotjustapersonalobsessionofhisbutpartofalargermovement,onethatisincreasinglyassociatedwithCatholicinstitutions.(In2005,KassrelinquishedtheCouncilchairmanshiptoEdmundPellegrino,an85yearoldmedicalethicistandformerpresidentoftheCatholicUniversityofAmerica.)EveryoneknowsabouttheBushadministration'salliancewithevangelicalProtestantism.ButthepervasiveCatholicflavoringoftheCouncil,particularlyitsDignityreport,isatfirstglancepuzzling.Infact,itispartofapowerfulbutlittleknowndevelopmentinAmericanpolitics,recentlydocumentedbyDamonLinkerinhisbookTheTheocons.
Fortwodecades,agroupofintellectualactivists,manyofwhomhadjumpedfromtheradicallefttotheradicalright,hasurgedthatwerethinktheEnlightenmentrootsoftheAmericansocialorder.Therecognitionofarighttolife,liberty,andthepursuitofhappinessandthemandateofgovernmenttosecuretheserightsaretootepid,theyargue,foramorallyworthysociety.Thisimpoverishedvisionhasonlyledtoanomie,hedonism,andrampantimmoralbehaviorsuchasillegitimacy,pornography,andabortion.Societyshouldaimhigherthanthisbarebonesindividualismandpromoteconformitytomorerigorousmoralstandards,onesthatcouldbeappliedtoourbehaviorbyanauthoritylargerthanourselves.
Sinceepisodesofdivinerevelationseemtohavedecreasedinrecentmillennia,theproblembecomeswhowillformulateandinterpretthesestandards.Mostoftoday'sdenominationsarenotuptothetask:EvangelicalProtestantismistooantiintellectual,andmainstreamProtestantismandJudaismtoohumanistic.TheCatholicChurch,withitslongtraditionofscholarshipanditsrocksolidmoralprecepts,becamethenaturalhomeforthismovement,andthejournalFirstThings,undertheleadershipofFatherRichardJohnNeuhaus,itsmouthpiece.CatholicismnowprovidestheintellectualmusclebehindamovementthatembracessociallyconservativeJewishandProtestantintellectualsaswell.WhenNeuhausmetwithBushin1998ashewasplanninghisrunforthepresidency,theyimmediatelyhititoff.
ThreeoftheoriginalCouncilmembers(includingKass)areboardmembersofFirstThings,andNeuhaushimselfcontributedanessaytotheDignityvolume.Inaddition,fiveothermembershavecontributedarticlestoFirstThingsovertheyears.Theconceptofdignityisnaturalgroundonwhichtobuildanobstructionistbioethics.Anallegedbreachofdignityprovidesawayforthirdpartiestopassjudgmentonactionsthatareknowinglyandwillinglychosenbytheaffectedindividuals.Itthusoffersamoralisticjustificationforexpandedgovernmentregulationofscience,medicine,andprivatelife.AndtheChurch'sfranchisetoguidepeopleinthemostprofoundeventsoftheirlivesbirth,death,andreproductionisindangerofbeingunderminedwhenbiomedicinescramblestherules.It'snotsurprising,then,that"dignity"isarecurringthemeinCatholicdoctrine:Thewordappearsmorethan100timesinthe1997editionoftheCatechismandisaleitmotifintheVatican'srecentpronouncementsonbiomedicine.
Tobefair,mostofthechaptersintheDignityvolumedon'tappealdirectlytoCatholicdoctrine,andofcoursethevalidityofanargumentcannotbejudgedfromthemotivesoraffiliationsofitschampions.Judgedsolelyonthemeritsoftheirarguments,howwelldotheessayistsclarifytheconceptofdignity?
Bytheirownadmission,notverywell.Almosteveryessayistconcedesthattheconceptremainsslipperyandambiguous.Infact,itspawnsoutrightcontradictionsateveryturn.Wereadthatslaveryanddegradationaremorallywrongbecausetheytakesomeone'sdignityaway.Butwealsoreadthatnothingyoucandotoa
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person,includingenslavingordegradinghim,cantakehisdignityaway.Wereadthatdignityreflectsexcellence,striving,andconscience,sothatonlysomepeopleachieveitbydintofeffortandcharacter.Wealsoreadthateveryone,nomatterhowlazy,evil,ormentallyimpaired,hasdignityinfullmeasure.Severalessayistsplaythegenocidecardandclaimthatthehorrorsofthetwentiethcenturyarewhatyougetwhenyoufailtoholddignitysacrosanct.Butonehardlyneedsthenotionof"dignity"tosaywhyit'swrongtogassixmillionJewsortosendRussiandissidentstothegulag.
So,despitethebesteffortsofthecontributors,theconceptofdignityremainsamess.Thereason,Ithink,isthatdignityhasthreefeaturesthatundermineanypossibilityofusingitasafoundationforbioethics.
First,dignityisrelative.Onedoesn'thavetobeascientificormoralrelativisttonoticethatascriptionsofdignityvaryradicallywiththetime,place,andbeholder.Inoldendays,aglimpseofstockingwaslookedonassomethingshocking.WechuckleatthephotographsofVictoriansinstarchedcollarsandwoolsuitshikinginthewoodsonaswelteringday,orattheBrahminsandpatriarchsofcountlesssocietieswhoconsideritbeneaththeirdignitytopickupadishorplaywithachild.ThorsteinVeblenwroteofaFrenchkingwhoconsidereditbeneathhisdignitytomovehisthronebackfromthefireplace,andonenightroastedtodeathwhenhisattendantfailedtoshowup.KassfindsotherpeoplelickinganicecreamconetobeshamefullyundignifiedIhavenoproblemwithit.
Second,dignityisfungible.TheCouncilandVaticantreatdignityasasacredvalue,nevertobecompromised.Infact,everyoneofusvoluntarilyandrepeatedlyrelinquishesdignityforothergoodsinlife.Gettingoutofasmallcarisundignified.Havingsexisundignified.Doffingyourbeltandspreadeaglingtoallowasecurityguardtoslideawandupyourcrotchisundignified.Mostpointedly,modernmedicineisagantletofindignities.Mostreadersofthisarticlehaveundergoneapelvicorrectalexamination,andmanyhavehadthepleasureofacolonoscopyaswell.Werepeatedlyvotewithourfeet(andotherbodyparts)thatdignityisatrivialvalue,wellworthtradingoffforlife,health,andsafety.
Third,dignitycanbeharmful.InhercommentsontheDignityvolume,JeanBethkeElshtainrhetoricallyasked,"Hasanythinggoodevercomefromdenyingorconstrictinghumandignity?"Theanswerisanemphatic"yes."Everysashedandbemedaleddespotreviewinghistroopsfromaloftyplatformseekstocommandrespectthroughostentatiousdisplaysofdignity.Politicalandreligiousrepressionsareoftenrationalizedasadefenseofthedignityofastate,leader,orcreed:JustthinkoftheSalmanRushdiefatwa,theDanishcartoonriots,ortheBritishschoolteacherinSudanwhofacedfloggingandalynchmobbecauseherclassnamedateddybearMohammed.Indeed,totalitarianismisoftentheimpositionofaleader'sconceptionofdignityonapopulation,suchastheidenticaluniformsinMaoistChinaortheburqasoftheTaliban.
Afreesocietydisempowersthestatefromenforcingaconceptionofdignityonitscitizens.Democraticgovernmentsallowsatiriststopokefunattheirleaders,institutions,andsocialmores.Andtheyabjureanymandatetodefine"somevisionof'thegoodlife'"orthe"dignityofusing[freedom]well"(twoquotesfromtheCouncil'svolume).Thepriceoffreedomistoleratingbehaviorbyothersthatmaybeundignifiedbyourownlights.IwouldbehappyifBritneySpearsand"AmericanIdol"wouldgoaway,butIputupwiththeminreturnfornothavingtoworryaboutbeingarrestedbytheicecreampolice.ThistradeoffisverymuchinAmerica'sDNAandisoneofitsgreatcontributionstocivilization:mycountry'tisofthee,sweetlandofliberty.
Soisdignityauselessconcept?Almost.Theworddoeshaveanidentifiablesense,whichgivesitaclaim,thoughalimitedone,onourmoralconsideration.
Dignityisaphenomenonofhumanperception.Certainsignalsfromtheworldtriggeranattributioninthemindofaperceiver.Justasconverginglinesinadrawingareacuefortheperceptionofdepth,anddifferencesinloudnessbetweenthetwoearscueustothepositionofasound,certainfeaturesinanotherhumanbeingtriggerascriptionsofworth.Thesefeaturesincludesignsofcomposure,cleanliness,maturity,attractiveness,andcontrolofthebody.Theperceptionofdignityinturnelicitsaresponseintheperceiver.Justasthesmellofbakingbreadtriggersadesiretoeatit,andthesightofababy'sfacetriggersadesiretoprotectit,theappearanceofdignitytriggersadesiretoesteemandrespectthedignifiedperson.
Thisexplainswhydignityismorallysignificant:Weshouldnotignoreaphenomenonthatcausesonepersontorespecttherightsandinterestsofanother.Butitalsoexplainswhydignityisrelative,fungible,andoftenharmful.Dignityisskindeep:it'sthesizzle,notthesteakthecover,notthebook.Whatultimatelymatters
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isrespectfortheperson,nottheperceptualsignalsthattypicallytriggerit.Indeed,thegapbetweenperceptionandrealitymakesusvulnerabletodignityillusions.Wemaybeimpressedbysignsofdignitywithoutunderlyingmerit,asinthetinpotdictator,andfailtorecognizemeritinapersonwhohasbeenstrippedofthesignsofdignity,suchasapauperorrefugee.
Exactlywhataspectsofdignityshouldwerespect?Foronething,peoplegenerallywanttobeseenasdignified.Dignityisthusoneoftheinterestsofaperson,alongsidebodilyintegrityandpersonalproperty,thatotherpeopleareobligatedtorespect.Wedon'twantanyonetostomponourtoeswedon'twantanyonetostealourhubcapsandwedon'twantanyonetoopenthebathroomdoorwhenwe'resittingonthejohn.Avalueondignityinthisprecisesensedoeshaveanapplicationtobiomedicine,namelygreaterattentiontothedignityofpatientswhenitdoesnotcompromisetheirmedicaltreatment.ThevolumecontainsfinediscussionsbyPellegrinoandbyRebeccaDresserontheavoidablehumiliationsthattoday'spatientsareoftenforcedtoendure(likethosehideoushospitalsmocksthatareopenattheback).Noonecouldobjecttovaluingdignityinthissense,andthat'sthepoint.Whentheconceptofdignityispreciselyspecified,itbecomesamundanematterofthoughtfulnesspushingagainstcallousnessandbureaucraticinertia,notacontentiousmoralconundrum.And,becauseitamountstotreatingpeopleinthewaythattheywishtobetreated,ultimatelyit'sjustanotherapplicationoftheprincipleofautonomy.
Thereisasecondreasontogivedignityameasureofcautiousrespect.Reductionsindignitymayhardentheperceiver'sheartandloosenhisinhibitionsagainstmistreatingtheperson.Whenpeoplearedegradedandhumiliated,suchasJewsinNaziGermanybeingforcedtowearyellowarmbandsordissidentsintheCulturalRevolutionbeingforcedtoweargrotesquehaircutsandcostumes,onlookersfinditeasiertodespisethem.Similarly,whenrefugees,prisoners,andotherpariahsareforcedtoliveinsqualor,itcansetoffaspiralofdehumanizationandmistreatment.ThiswasdemonstratedinthefamousStanfordprisonexperiment,inwhichvolunteersassignedtobe"prisoners"hadtowearsmocksandlegironsandwerereferredtobyserialnumbersinsteadofnames.Thevolunteersassignedtobe"guards"spontaneouslybegantobrutalizethem.Note,though,thatallthesecasesinvolvecoercion,soonceagaintheyareruledoutbyautonomyandrespectforpersons.So,evenwhenbreachesofdignityleadtoanidentifiableharm,it'sultimatelyautonomyandrespectforpersonsthatgivesusthegroundsforcondemningit.
Couldtherebecasesinwhichavoluntaryrelinquishingofdignityleadstocallousnessinonlookersandharmtothirdpartieswhateconomistscallnegativeexternalities?Intheory,yes.Perhapsifpeopleallowedtheircorpsestobepubliclydesecrated,itwouldencourageviolenceagainstthebodiesoftheliving.Perhapsthesportofdwarftossingencouragespeopletomistreatalldwarves.Perhapsviolentpornographyencouragesviolenceagainstwomen.But,forsuchhypothesestojustifyrestrictivelaws,theyneedempiricalsupport.Inone'simagination,anythingcanleadtoanythingelse:Allowingpeopletoskipchurchcanleadtoindolencelettingwomendrivecanleadtosexuallicentiousness.Inafreesociety,onecannotempowerthegovernmenttooutlawanybehaviorthatoffendssomeonejustbecausetheoffendeecanpullahypotheticalfutureinjuryoutoftheair.NodoubtMao,Savonarola,andCottonMathercouldprovideplentyofreasonswhylettingpeopledowhattheywantedwouldleadtothebreakdownofsociety.
ThesicknessintheoconbioethicsgoesbeyondimposingaCatholicagendaonaseculardemocracyandusing"dignity"tocondemnanythingthatgivessomeonethecreeps.EversincethecloningofDollythesheepadecadeago,thepanicsownbyconservativebioethicists,amplifiedbyasensationalistpress,hasturnedthepublicdiscussionofbioethicsintoamiasmaofscientificilliteracy.BraveNewWorld,aworkoffiction,istreatedasinerrantprophesy.Cloningisconfusedwithresurrectingthedeadormassproducingbabies.Longevitybecomes"immortality,"improvementbecomes"perfection,"thescreeningfordiseasegenesbecomes"designerbabies"oreven"reshapingthespecies."TherealityisthatbiomedicalresearchisaSisypheanstruggletoekesmallincrementsinhealthfromastaggeringlycomplex,entropybesethumanbody.Itisnot,andprobablyneverwillbe,arunawaytrain.
Amajorsinoftheoconbioethicsisexactlytheonethatitseesinbiomedicalresearch:overweeninghubris.Ineveryage,prophetsforeseedystopiasthatnevermaterialize,whilefailingtoanticipatetherealrevolutions.HadtherebeenaPresident'sCouncilonCyberethicsinthe1960s,nodoubtitwouldhavedecriedthethreatoftheInternet,sinceitwouldinexorablyleadto1984,ortocomputers"takingover"likeHALin2001.Conservativebioethicistspresumetosoothsaytheoutcomeofthequintessentiallyunpredictableendeavorcalledscientificresearch.Andtheywouldstagemanagethekindsofsocialchangethat,inafreesociety,onlyemergeashundredsofmillionsofpeopleweighthecostsandbenefitsofnewdevelopmentsforthemselves,adjustingtheirmoresanddealingwithspecificharmsastheyarise,astheydidwithinvitrofertilizationandtheInternet.
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Worstofall,theoconbioethicsflauntsacallousnesstowardthebillionsofnongeriatricpeople,bornandunborn,whoselivesorhealthcouldbesavedbybiomedicaladvances.Evenifprogressweredelayedameredecadebymoratoria,redtape,andfundingtaboos(tosaynothingofthethreatofcriminalprosecution),millionsofpeoplewithdegenerativediseasesandfailingorganswouldneedlesslysufferanddie.Andthatwouldbethebiggestaffronttohumandignityofall.
StevenPinkerisJohnstoneProfessorofPsychologyatHarvardandtheauthorofTheStuffofThought.
Copyright2007TheNewRepublic.Allrightsreserved.