Steven Pinker vs. Leon Kass

From the Harvard Gazette:

11crossculture2225Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology Steven Pinker was among Kass’ harshest critics, saying he disagreed with “every single sentence” of Kass’ chapter on cloning. Pinker said he believed that if reproductive cloning could be done without risk to the child the government shouldn’t ban it, comparing it with the birth of identical twins, though at different times.

Pinker took particular issue with Kass’ assertion that a feeling of “repugnance” for certain scientific practices ought to be heeded, saying that repugnance has been used to justify misdeeds against Jews and as an excuse to ban many things now commonly deemed acceptable.

“Time after time, the argument of repugnance has argued against things that are now morally acceptable,” Pinker said.

More here.