Toward a More Natural Science: Biology and Human Affairs

by Leon R. Kass

Examines the ethical questions involved in prenatal screening, in vitro fertilization, artificial life forms, and medical care, and discusses the role of human beings in nature

Genres: Philosophy, Science, Medicine, Nonfiction, Biology

388 pages, Paperback

First published March 25, 1988

About the author

American physician, scientist, educator, and public intellectual, best known as proponent of liberal education via the "Great Books," as an opponent of human cloning, life extension and euthanasia, as a critic of certain areas of technological progress and embryo research, and for his controversial tenure as chairman of the President's Council on Bioethics from 2001 to 2005. Although Kass is often referred to as a bioethicist, he eschews the term and refers to himself as "an old-fashioned humanist.

Reviews

[Audrey Monahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

“We stand most upright when we gladly bow our heads.”

Toward a More Natural Science is an incredible book—I highly recommend it to anyone interested in bioethics. This book is everything I wish my undergraduate bioethics classes were, and more. Part II, “Holding the Center—The Morality of Medicine” was my favorite section and will be most applicable to my career aspirations as a physician so I hope to periodically re-read this section and learn from Kass’ perspective on practicing prudently, what the pursuit of health is, and the application of the medical ethic.

“If a doctor would be a physician and not merely a body technician, he must also be a knower of souls, those of his patients and, not least, his own.”

Despite being a couple decades old, the principles outlined in this book have stood the test of time and Kass’ warnings and insights ring more true than ever. Each sentence in this book felt deliberate and thoroughly considered, distinguishing Kass’s writing style from typical academic works. Some of his phrasing and sentence structures were even a little reminiscent of Chesterton, making the philosophy-heavy content enjoyable to read.

“Our inventiveness is not our invention; neither are the truths it discovers.”

[Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal book that uses sound logical steps to establish science-based bioethical grounds for what we should (and shouldn't!) be doing in sciences and medicine today. While a few of Kass's consequentialist arguments fall short due to the nature of making consequentialist arguments, he engages his opponents on their own terms to show how they come up short within their own system of beliefs. His best arguments are made when we see the Aristotelian thinker "behind the curtain": he provides a sound, experience-based guide in doing "as the prudent man does" to act towards man's natural telos, and especially how doctors - those of the servile, practical art - should guide themselves and their patients "toward a more natural science."

[Amelia Jeanne]

Kass is incredibly long-winded and for the most part a boring writer. However, I agree with most of what he has to say. The chapter about mortality was very interesting. The quote from The Odyssey followed by "To suffer, to endure, to trouble oneself for the sake of home, family, and genuine friendship, is truly to live, and is the clear choice of this exemplary mortal. This choice is both the mark of his excellence and the basis for the visible display of his excellence in deeds both noble and just. Immortality is a kind of oblivion-- like death itself." and later, "Could life be serious or meaningful without the limit of mortality? Is not the limit on our time the ground of our taking life seriously and living it passionately? To know and to feel that one goes around only once, and that the deadline is not out of sight, is for many people the necessary spur to the pursuit of something worthwhile. To number our days is the condition for making them count, to treasure and appreciate all that life brings."

[A.J. Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very important book. Dr Kass is one of the brightest thinkers of our time....a very wise man.