by Monty Self | Oct 7, 2010 | Opinion
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius apologized last week to the Guatemalan people for gross ethics violations committed by U.S. researchers in the 1940s. From 1946-48, a team of researchers attempted to ascertain the...
by Monty Self | Sep 28, 2010 | Opinion
For the last 14 years, I have enjoyed teaching philosophy and ethics. Where else can you get paid to sit around and reflect upon the significance of ideas? If philosophers understand and agree upon nothing else, it is this axiom: Ideas are dangerous things. Ideas are...
by Monty Self | Jun 10, 2010 | Opinion
On May 20, J. Craig Venter announced that he and his team have successfully created “the first self-replicating species we’ve had on the planet whose parent is a computer.” The announcement was followed by a flurry of sensationalist headlines. The...
by Monty Self | May 7, 2010 | Opinion
On April 23, Sen. Tom Harkin announced at Jordan Creek Elementary School in Des Moines, Iowa, that he was planning to introduce the “Keep Our Educators Working Act.” The senator’s proposal appears to be in response to the recent layoff of teachers...
by Monty Self | May 4, 2010 | Opinion
One of the hallmarks of bioethics is respect for personal autonomy. Modern ethicists have stressed this virtue to a fault. Competent patients have a right to refuse any medical intervention, even if those interventions can enhance one’s quality of life or even...
