Deterioration in Bioethics

George W. Bush had an outstanding President's Council on Bioethics that wrestled with such questions as embryonic stem cell research and cloning.  It was composed of intellectual heavyweights like Leon Kass who paid particular heed to the concept of "ethics".

That has now changed.  Barack Obama has scrapped the old council. And according to World:

Obama indicated that he plans to appoint a new bioethics commission that will offer “practical policy options” rather than functioning like a “philosophically leaning advisory group.”

So that is the new spin.  On questions of ethics and human life, do what is practical rather than what is right.  Ethics thus become situational under the new President.  I suppose we should not be surprised.

But there is another interesting dimension.  Most people know about Rahm Emanuel-- the former Chicago congressman who is Obama's chief of staff.  But fewer know that Rahm has a brother who happens to be a physician-- and his name is Zeke.

Zeke Emanuel, partially by virtue of his status as a physician and his relation to Rahm, has been granted a high level of access and influence as a White House health care policy advisor.  He, of course, favors a pathway to universal coverage; and will advocate the administration's position.

But it also turns out that Zeke has a significant background in bioethics.  And it seems likely that he shares Obama's worldview on that topic.  I do not know, however, to what extent he will influence Obama's new commission on practical, situational bioethics.

Comments

[Stormy]

Well, we must remember that our old friend, Roch, always said that Obama is a pragmatic. Pragmatic to a fault, I suppose, even in ethics.

[Joe Guarino]

Stormy, in some circles-- especially, I find, in journalistic circles-- being "practical" or "pragmatic" is lauded as a virtue. That can be a problem, however, if it leaves the politician devoid of ethics or grounded principle.

[bubba]

".....being "practical" or "pragmatic" is lauded as a virtue. That can be a problem, however, if it leaves the politician devoid of ethics or grounded principle."

The same can be said about certain bloggers, especially in the local blahgosphere.