Wesley J. Smith

No surprise, but this 60 Minutes report way oversimplified—and I think misled—about the very real problem of the costs of end of life care, with supposedly too many people dying in ICUs: First, the economics of hospital payments by Medicare promote earlier releases.  This is because . . . . Continue Reading »

Some commentators are claiming that the FDA’s review of its earlier approval of the chemotherapy drug Avastin for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer is “death panel” rationing.  I don’t think we know that—at least based on the Washington Post report about . . . . Continue Reading »

In the above clip, Peter Singer pretends that his call for allowing infanticide is merely about preventing the suffering of infants with ultimately terminal conditions, and limited to situations in which a decision has been made by parents and doctors to let them die by withdrawing life-extending . . . . Continue Reading »

There was a good opinion column in the NYT today by professor of psychiatry emeritus, Allan Francis, who calls to task those who want to treat grief as a mental illness and treat it with medication.  From “Good Grief:”A startling suggestion is buried in the fine print describing . . . . Continue Reading »

I am not sure I understand why this is noteworthy.  Some cattle has been cloned from dead animals and their offspring have entered the food chain.   From the BBC report, “Cattle Cloned From Dead Animals:The aim of livestock cloning is to clone the best animals to produce the best . . . . Continue Reading »

I have sometimes written here that some in the science and philosophical communities hope to turn science—which properly understood is a method of obtaining and applying information—into a subjective value system/philosophy/quasi-religion—sometimes called scientism.  Now, a . . . . Continue Reading »

Three days off the grid and I’m feeling good, made even better to see a very good review of A Rat is a Pig is a Dog is a Boy in the American Spectator.  From the conclusion of the review by Rev. Michael P. Orsi:Smith debunks activist claims of the need for animal rights, providing . . . . Continue Reading »

It has been a very productive twelve months: Two international speaking trips, three if you include Canada. Many other presentations around the country.  A book published.  Scores of media interviews.  Writing articles. Blogging. Etc.Frankly, I am out of gas.  So, I am going off . . . . Continue Reading »

College professor Paul Longmore, author and intrepid anti assisted suicide and disability rights activist, has died.  From the press release:We are deeply saddened to convey the news that Dr. Paul Longmore, Professor of History at San Francisco State and an active member of the Californians . . . . Continue Reading »

Many countries have outlawed research on chimps and now legislation has been filed to do that here.  Scientists are not amused.  From the story:In the latest twist in the protracted debate over the use of chimpanzees in biomedical research, U.S. senators on 3 August introduced the Great . . . . Continue Reading »