Episode 31 - The Secular Conscience, Part 1

May 31, 2010

Part one of a two-part lecture on bioethics by philosopher Austin Dacey, former United Nations representative of the Center for Inquiry. On May 24, 2008, Dr. Dacey presented a lecture entitled “The Secular Conscience” at the Center for Inquiry / Transnational in Amherst, New York. The talk was drawn from his book of the same name.

Dacey calls for a bold rethinking of the nature of conscience and its role in public life. Inspired by an earlier liberal tradition he traces to Spinoza and John Stuart Mill, Dacey urges liberals to lift their self-imposed gag order and defend a renewed secularism based on the objective moral value of conscience.

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Episode 31 - The Secular Conscience, Part 1

http://www.centerforinquiry.net/audio/centerstage/centerstage-0031.mp3

Comments from the CFI Forums

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Gee, I wonder from what source(s) he has develped his conjecture?

Posted on Jun 04, 2010 at 8:28am by Analytic Comment #1

Gee, I wonder from what source(s) he has develped his conjecture?

Let me help you with that: Inspired by an earlier liberal tradition he traces to Spinoza and John Stuart Mill, Dacey urges liberals to lift their self-imposed gag order and defend a renewed secularism based on the objective moral value of conscience.

Posted on Jun 07, 2010 at 12:18am by asanta Comment #2

If liberals have a self-imposed “gag order” against their views, I haven’t been privy to the basis for that concern.

I would agree that if liberals stopped trying to belittle alternative views, there might be a more rational discussion.

That will likely never happen.

Posted on Jun 07, 2010 at 7:55am by Analytic Comment #3

If liberals have a self-imposed “gag order” against their views, I haven’t been privy to the basis for that concern.
I would agree that if liberals stopped trying to belittle alternative views, there might be a more rational discussion.
That will likely never happen.

Hmm that’s funny, I can also write it as: If Conservatives have a self-imposed “gag order” against their views, I haven’t been privy to the basis for that concern.

I would agree that if Conservatives stopped trying to belittle alternative views, there might be a more rational discussion.

That will likely never happen.

Posted on Jun 07, 2010 at 12:39pm by asanta Comment #4