This text takes the liberal humanist position against the advance of scientific ethics (or lack of them), in particular those of genetics. As the achievements of science threaten to engulf this century leaving us morally and philosophically floundering in their wake.

This text takes the liberal humanist position against the advance of scientific ethics (or lack of them), in particular those of genetics. As the achievements of science threaten to engulf this century leaving us morally and philosophically floundering in their wake (what are we going to do about Dolly?), Appleyard engages with the issues in a debate which can only get hotter and more desperate. In essence, he says that although it may be true that we live in Dawkins's "cold and pitiless" universe, if we live our lives according to such wisdom we will all simply end up killing each other (as this century, with its appalling history of eugenics, a first cousin of genetics, has shown rather well).