Steven Pinker on Human Dignity

May 13th, 2008 | 1 min read

(Hasty posting does not a good blogger make. Post updated to clear up an idiotic confusion.

In this month's issue of The New Republic, Steven Pinker critiques Leon Kass and the concept of 'human dignity' as a basis to bioethics. While the article lacks the footnotes that would give it the additional credibility it needs to offset Pinker's invective against his opponents, it is still an interesting challenge to the idea that 'human dignity' should function as a limiter in bioethics.

My question: is it possible that Pinker's empirically-oriented mindset prohibits him from understanding Kass' style of argumentation?

Read the whole thing, then discuss. I'm curious to hear our brilliant readers' opinions on this one.

Matthew Lee Anderson

Matthew Lee Anderson is an Associate Professor of Ethics and Theology in Baylor University's Honors College. He has a D.Phil. in Christian Ethics from Oxford University, and is a Perpetual Member of Biola University's Torrey Honors College. In 2005, he founded Mere Orthodoxy.

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Steven Pinker on Human Dignity

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