Wesley J. Smith

Today’s ID the Future brings listeners the second half of a panel discussion at the 2022 Center for Science and Culture Insider’s Briefing. This portion begins with bioethicist and Discovery Institute senior fellow Wesley J. Smith making a surprising argument: His own field, bioethics, is at war with true medical ethics. Specifically, its most prominent figures—hailing from elite universities in the United States and Europe—are dedicated to emptying our medical culture of traditional ethical standards that protect human rights and are guided by a commitment to inherent human dignity. Some leading bioethicists see human beings as of no more inherent value than yeast. Smith stands athwart this anti-human trend and urges listeners to wake up and push back. Then John Read More ›

On today’s ID the Future, bioethicist Wesley J. Smith explores a recent article in the journal Nature, “The Alarming Rise of Complex Genetic Testing in Human Embryo Selection.” As alarming as that title sounds, Smith says the reality is even worse than the Nature article suggests. Using the breakthrough technology known as CRISPR, scientists are not only altering the genes of a given creature, including humans, but are even altering the creature’s germline. This threatens to permanently alter a species, Smith explains, including the human species. There’s the question of whether we have the right play god in this way, of course. There’s also the practical issue of scientists not really knowing what they are doing yet. A gene identified Read More ›

On this new episode of ID the Future, The Price of Panic co-author and philosopher Jay Richards hosts bioethicist Wesley J. Smith to discuss a Tweet from Physics-Astronomy.org. The Tweet read, “Imagine a world ruled by scientists, not politicians.” The drift of the Tweet was, wouldn’t rule by scientists be wonderful! Smith immediately threw up a great big “Don’t go there” sign at the Epoch Times. As  Smith and Richards emphasize, such an approach to governance would be disastrous, and would actually be anti-science. It would tend to corrupt the practice of science, thrust scientific specialists into positions calling for generalist skills, and further the arrogant mistake that is scientism—the view not only that nature is all there is, but Read More ›

On this episode of ID the Future, bioethicist Wesley J. Smith exposes the horror of “Medically Assistance in Dying” (MAi/D) in Canada. Worse than physician-assisted suicide, this is medical homicide. Hospitals are even advertising it. Doctors in at least one province have no choice but to be complicit in these killings, or else leave their specialties or even quit medicine altogether. Will MAiD come to America, too?

On this episode of ID the Future, bioethicist Wesley J. Smith speaks with host Dean Abbott about the arrival of human cloning. While significant barriers remain that will slow its development as far as human-cloned babies and adults, ethical constraints still depend only on scientists’ restraint — a “thin reed to stand on.” Human cloning research is underway even now, under cover of scientific jargon to obscure what’s going on, Smith says. Are we ready for this? Please consider donating to support the IDTF Podcast.

On this episode of ID The Future, host Tod Butterfield talks with Discovery Senior Fellow Wesley J. Smith about the use and abuse of Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) in China.  Smith delves into the initially humane reasons for PGD, but notes how PGD is being used to advance the dark agenda of eugenics. Smith argues that the international community needs to take a leading role in defending the dignity of all human life. Otherwise, he says, China—with its abhorrent record on human rights—may set the standard for the rest of the world.

On this episode of ID The Future, Sarah Chaffee talks with bioethicist Wesley Smith about the gene-editing technique known as CRISPR. Smith describes it briefly and discusses its larger implication for bioethics.

On this episode of ID the Future, listen in as Wesley J. Smith, Jay W. Richards, Marlo Lewis, and Stephen C. Meyer discuss consensus science at a Washington D.C. event entitled, “March for Science or March for Scientism? Understanding the Real Threats to Science in America.” How can government encourage healthy skepticism yet move forward with policy solutions that involve science? Tune in to hear the discussion.

On this episode of ID the Future, hear Wesley J. Smith’s talk given this April at the “March for Science or March for Scientism? Understanding the Real Threats to Science in America” event hosted by Discovery Institute and the Heritage Foundation. Listen in as he discusses how science has been conflated with ethics and talks about animal and plant rights.

On this episode of ID The Future, we’re featuring clips of questions and answers with Wesley J. Smith and John West from the premiere of The War on Humans documentary. Smith and West briefly answer questions about the threat of the fringe element of the radical animal rights movement; the advance of animal rights proponents political agenda; and the regulatory process that is creeping towards scientism.