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Anthony Bosnick

Human life needs to be defended in all times and places, especially in this time of great violence in our society.

Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2018

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I don't think this book was written for a popular audience, but more for specialists in the field. The authors are noted scholars at reputable universities and the text reflects the more academic discussions and language typical in such places. (I read the first edition by Robert George and Christopher Tollefsen. This review is based on that edition.) None-the-less, the book is worth reading (and it is only 217 pages of text) by anyone concerned about knowing more about this topic and about protecting human life from conception to natural death.

The case presented is based on scientific and philosophical grounds, not moral and religious. As such it gives important background to those who discuss and advocate on life issues in the public forum. We may not be comfortable thinking about the issue on those terms, but if we are ever going to be able to discuss it with decision makers in public policy and with newsmakers, we have to use language and arguments they can comprehend. (Sometimes I wonder in these situations if they really understand it on this level either.) (Btw, just as an aside, remember Robert Frost's poem "Choose Something Like a Star" which made a plea for such comprehensible language. I learned that in a rural public high school when English teachers expected us to focus and use our heads. Painful, but worth the effort!)

We read and discussed this book in our Catholic parish book club. I think the consensus was that it was good to read, although not easy to do so. That is my general sense as well. If in doubt, just take up and read. It is worth the effort.

Bobby Bambino

THE defense of the embryo as a human person

Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2010

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The first chapter is very good, as it clearly lays out the framework for the questions that will be addressed throughout the rest of the book. Important distinctions are made, and the analogy of "killing retarded people for their organs" clearly illustrates why most pro-hESCR replies to our arguments do not even address the issue, let alone rebut the objection. This, of course, is the same problem with a good 90% (my estimate) of pro-choice arguments, as Beckwith points out in Defending Life.

The authors then go on to argue their substance view of the human person. This is contrasted with dualistic theories like those of Descartes and others. This is important because if we don't know what it is that makes us valuable and worthy of life, then we are on totally different pages when arguing the question with those in favor of h-ESCR. Not only do the authors contrast their views with "old" philosophers like Descartes, but they interact with current bioethecists like Ron Green and Lee Silver, two leading proponents of h-ESCR, as well as many others.

Many good things have been said about this book already, so I will simply add that this book gives the best defense to the "burning fertility clinic scenario" I have ever read. This argument can sometimes catch pro-lifers off guard (as it did once to me and I didn't have a convincing answer to it) but the authors show how terribly flimsy and weak it really is. It is good to have a response to this argument because it has found its way into teh "popular" arena where the average man on the street can give this argument and seem like he has a strong case against valuing embryos. However, the argument patently fails as the authors very well demonstrate.

This is one of the main issues of our times, and people need to be well read in clear, rational thinking about these issue which forgo all religious and emotive arguments. This book does precisely that.

Valuable Contribution to this Vital Public Topic

Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2009

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When does the human being, person, individual begin? This question is vexing our society. Here George and Tollefsen present a coherent answer to this not from religion or theology, but from science, morality and public policy.

There is different loci to this issue, the moral, the scientific, the political, which they categorize as: embryo science, embryo technology and embryo ethics.

Science and technology do not answer the vital question which is the major thrust of this effort: "guidance in making moral decisions about the treatment of those embryos or of human beings at any developmental stage."

They persistently rely upon their conclusion from embryo science that: from "embryologists and developmental biologists, who are collectively responsible for the standard textbooks in their fields, agree in making fertilization, not gastrulation, as the beginning of the human individual." This they summarize in this well put phrase: "the early human embryo is not "a potential human" but a "human with potential".

They then proceed to take on all challengers who would deny this human being the right to all the moral rights and protections that we all have from solely from being what we are, a human being. These include such as dualism, utilitarianism, consequentalism, those that would deny that the early human embryo is not a whole individual, etc. They also contend with those who put forward that embryonic stem cells are equivalent to embryos and make the important point that the early human embryo has everything it needs inside itself to come to development as a human being if protected and allowed to develop.

Their arguments seem well conceived and the repute they offer to their challengers strikes this reviewer initially as significant. I wait however to review the continuing debate between the sides. This civility in reaching public policy the authors correctly state is the overarching impetus for this book's being published.

I appreciate they do not enter into any theological argumentation, although this certainly is near and dear to many of us. That they can provide this coherent and captivating argument above all others must be dealt with by the opposition in public forum avenues.

Anyone interested at all in this controversial area with any amount of open mindedness will want to read this finely crafted effort. They conclude by placing forward three major proposals for each of three areas, i.e. Technological, Cultural and Political.