Human Exceptionalism

Center on Human Exceptionalism

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two macaques in close proximity to each other against a background of green vegetation, AI, wild nature monkeys
Image Credit: makentosha - Adobe Stock

PETA Sues NIH for Violating Its “First Amendment Right” to Talk to Monkeys

PETA is suing the NIH and the National Institute of Mental Health, claiming that the agency's refusal to allow them to receive closed-circuit monitoring of research monkeys and communicate directly with them violates the animal rights fanatics' First and Fifth Amendment rights. The irrationality begins in the complaint's first and second paragraphs when the complaint alleges PETA has a right to receive communications from "fellow primates" that are "willing speakers." Read More ›
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Image by LivingBetterThroughChemistry at Wikimedia Commons: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Stand_Up_For_Science_in_Seattle_2025.jpg

Stand Up for (Ideological) Science 2025 Day!

Yesterday was “Stand Up for Science 2025” day, which featured rallies around the country to “defend science as a public good and pillar of social, political, and economic progress.” But that isn’t what it was really all about. Former NIH head Francis Collins spoke (and sang) at the D.C. rally, and he was the champion censor of heterodox views during Covid... Read More ›
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Attractive female doctor in front of medical group
Image Credit: lenets_tan - Adobe Stock

Only Doctors Can Prevent Global Warming

Science, medical, and bioethics journals are setting themselves up as the new political resistance to Trump policies, most particularly around global warming controversies. JAMA has just published a column decrying Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord and claiming that preventing climate change is now up to doctors. Read More ›
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Caucasian male police officer in uniform with gun on his belt walking down a brightly lit hospital hallway with back turned
Image Credit: Bonsales - Adobe Stock

Swiss Canton Liberates Suicide Tourism from Police Investigation

Switzerland is the world's suicide tourism capital. Indeed, for the price of transportation and about $11,000, you can be helped to make yourself dead at one of the country's notorious suicide clinics. It used to be that each such assisted suicide had to be at least cursorily investigated by the authorities. But now, that minimal protection has been gutted. Read More ›
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Public domain image from the Executive Office of the President of the United States: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vice_President_JD_Vance_is_sworn_in_(01).jpg

Vice President Vance Defends Human Exceptionalism at Munich

Vice President JD Vance made news in Munich by accusing the European political elite of not really believing in democracy. But another line stood out for me that I think is also worth noting. Vance defended the unique dignity of human life. It's just one sentence in a 20-minute speech. But I think it is important and urge the vice president to expand upon that thought because human exceptionalism is under increasing attack by some of society's most powerful political and cultural forces. Read More ›
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Side view portrait of bearded gentleman lying in bed. Young woman in white lab coat on blurred background
Image Credit: Yakobchuk Olena - Adobe Stock

Washington Bill to Allow Non-MD-Prescribed Assisted Suicide and to Shorten Waiting Period

I previously wrote about pending Oregon and Vermont legislation to do away with the requirement that only doctors be allowed to legally assist suicides. Now, it's Washington's turn, with a proposal to allow "qualified medical providers" to prescribe poison, defined as a licensed physician, physician's assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse. Read More ›