Leon Kass (born February 12, 1939) is an American bioethicist, best known as a leader in the effort to stop human embryonic stem cell and cloning research as former chair of the President's Council on Bioethics from 2002–2005.

He obtained S.B. and M.D. degrees (1958; 1962) at the University of Chicago and obtained a Ph.D. in biochemistry (1967) at Harvard University. He then taught at St. John's College from 1972 to 1976 . He currently retains a position as a member of the President's Council and is the Addie Clark Harding Professor in the College and the Committee on Social Thought at the University of Chicago, and is the author of several books, including Toward A More Natural Science: Biology and Human Affairs; The Hungry Soul: Eating and the Perfecting of our Nature; Life, Liberty, and the Defense of Dignity: The Challenge for Bioethics; and The Beginning of Wisdom: Reading Genesis.

To read Kass' contributions to First Things, click here. To read his biography on bioethic.gov, click here.


Kass' talks:

Leon Kass, University of Chicago: Part 1 - "A More Perfect Human: The Promise and Peril of Modern Science" - November 6, 2006

Princeton University's New Media Center Author: Princeton University
Mon, Nov 6, 2006

James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions

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Leon Kass, University of Chicago: Part 2 - "The Dignity of Human Being: 'Death with Dignity' and the 'Sanctity of Life'" - November 7, 2006

Princeton University's New Media Center Author: Princeton University
Tue, Nov 7, 2006

James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions

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Leon Kass, University of Chicago: Part 3 - "The Dignity of Human Flourishing: Biotechnology and the Pursuit of Happiness" - November 8, 2006

Princeton University's New Media Center Author: Princeton University
Wed, Nov 8, 2006

James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions

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