Laura Purdy is Professor of Philosophy and Ruth and Albert Koch Professor of Humanities at Wells College, NY. She completed her PhD in Philosophy at Stanford University in 1974. From 1997-2000 she held the position of Bioethicist, University Health Network, and the University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics where she also acted as Co-Chair of the Women's Health Research Network. At Wells College, she has been Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and coordinates the minor in Science, Health & Values. She has taught, presented and published extensively in the field of ethics. Her books include: Reproducing Persons, and she is co-editor of Feminist Perspectives in Medical Ethics, Embodying Bioethics, and, most recently Bioethics, Justice and Health Care. http://aurora.wells.edu/~lpurdy/

Presentation: Exporting the "Culture of Life"

The Religious Right is attempting to impose an apparently attractive "culture of life" on the U.S. It holds that intentionally killing humans is always wrong, except perhaps in self-defense. It precludes euthanasia, abortion, embryonic stem cell research, although not capital punishment, war, or weakening of life-saving public health measures. It also requires that any sex act be open to producing new life, ruling out contraception. Implementing this principle is leading the Religious Right to promote abstinence-only sex education, and to limit information about and access to contraception (condoms, in particular), with harmful consequences to women, gay men, and children. During the Reagan and Bush administrations, the Religious Right has also promoted these principles internationally, via the Global Gag Rule and other limits on foreign aid programs, with equally devastating consequences. Humanists need to fight these measures and put programs in place that respect sexual and reproductive welfare.