Dr. Singer is dangerous because of his simple-minded arrogance. Dr. Singer, a man with little knowledge of disability and the disability rights movement, walks on the beach one day and decides that it is OK to kill disabled infants. To make that private presumption is arrogant and insensitive, but to publicize it leads me to question the utility of his existence. His musings have been great for his career, but they have endangered people with disabilities. While non-disabled "philosophers" calmly defend the icy spin of reason, people with disabilities around the world are daily murdered or left to die in institutions. They are shunned, disowned, shut out, locked up, abused, used, and denied necessary medical care. The pervasive experience of oppression, marginalization, persecution, endangerment, and death cannot be dismissed by a philosopher worthy of the title.

Dr. Singer is dangerous because he trusts reason alone with other people's lives and, yes, with other people's mothers. Surely we must address issues of medical technology, prolongation of life, the sanctity of life, and individual rights. However, what fool would trust their life to the barren landscape of another person's reason? Reason is a tool, an aid. Reason helps us to define issues. Reason can construct a framework for decision making. Reason can illuminate inconsistencies. But how can reason unveil the essence of humanity? How can reason determine the value of a life? How can reason measure love? How can reason detect the spirit? It cannot.

Western philosophy over two millennia have led us to understand that we hold all thought and experience in an existential moment; a moment of complete freedom and absolute terror because we realize we know not. What explosion of knowing awaits us in this space between life and death, speech and silence, knowledge and ignorance? This is the legacy of our philosophical heritage. Philosophy is not the banal clucking of self-important hens, it is not the beeping of an academic video game, and it is not the reckless endangerment of the innocent. Philosophy is the doorway to God. Let us be more demanding of our colleagues, more responsible in our practice, and more noble in our lives.

-- Mark Polit, Parent of a child with severe disabilities (posted 3/6, 10 a.m., E.S.T.)

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