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Ian Dowbiggin

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Ian Robert Dowbiggin
Born1952 (age 71–72)
Alma materUniversity of Rochester, University of Toronto, MacMaster University
Scientific career
FieldsHistory
InstitutionsUniversity of Prince Edward Island

Ian Robert Dowbiggin (born 1952) is an academic historian, a historian of medicine, a prominent commentator on Catholicism, and an opponent of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. He is a professor in the History department at the University of Prince Edward Island. His research and publications have been funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Associated Medical Services. He acts as consultant and coordinator for The Cathedral Institute of Christian Spirituality.[1]

In 2011, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.[2]

Euthanasia

Dowbiggin has written extensively on the history of the euthanasia movement, including A Merciful End: The Euthanasia Movement in Modern America (2003) and A Concise History of Euthanasia: Life, Death, God, and Medicine (2005). His works link Darwinism to the euthanasia movement,[3][4] and he has argued that "the ideological justification for euthanasia lies not in the advanced medical technologies of the late 20th century, but in the social Darwinism, eugenics, and utilitarianism of the late 19th century",[5] presenting the movement as utilitarian and anticlerical.[4] This focus has been criticised, with Dowbiggin having been accused of overemphasising the relationship between eugenics and euthanasia, and of muddying "important conceptual and practical distinctions" of the different aspects of euthanasia.[6] Meanwhile, the Canadian Historical Association praised A Merciful End as "detached from partisan views."[7]

He has spoken against both euthanasia legislation and Darwinism, and has argued that the Netherlands shows how a slippery slope can form, where a "permissive attitude to assisted suicide" can lead to other changes.[8][9] On Darwinism, Dowbiggin has argued that with the overthrow of the theories of Marx and Freud, Darwinism may be next, and he has asked if Darwinism needs to be replaced with something else.[10]

Dowbiggin has given speeches at a 2005 Canadian pro-life movement conference,[11] and the 2003 Euthanasia Prevention Coalition symposium.[12] In one speech, he stated that euthanasia, eugenics, sex education, population control, gay rights and abortion all have something in common: they are connected by their “fervent dedication to over-turning centuries-old conceptions of life and death.”[13]

Sterilization

Dowbiggin, who coined the phrase "birth dearth", published the book The Sterilization Movement and Global Fertility in the Twentieth Century in 2008. The book expresses the view that, despite concerns about overpopulation as the human population passes 7 billion, problems of depopulation could rival those of global warming.[14]

A review in the The New England Journal of Medicine found that Dowbiggin reaches a conclusion that contradicts known data: "Dowbiggin's worry that sterilization is directly responsible for birth rates that are below the replacement rate, which he expresses both in the prologue and in the final chapter of the book, is not supported by the data."[15]

Anti-Catholicism

Dowbiggin has written that anti-Catholicism is widespread and tolerated today, taking a comment by former Canadian UN ambassador Stephen Lewis accusing the Vatican of "misogyny" as an example, and noting that the Catholic church today is a favourite target of gay and lesbian groups.[16] He cites homosexual demonstrators who have spat on the Eucharist, shouted down sermons, tossed condoms at church leaders and shouted outside Catholic churches,[16] adding that in Canadian history, anti-Catholicism has been the force behind much of the debate over immigration, temperance, labour, language, and public schooling.

Partial bibliography

  • A Concise History of Euthanasia: Life, Death, God, and Medicine (2005)
  • A Merciful End: The Euthanasia Movement in Modern America (2003)
  • Suspicious Minds: The Triumph of Paranoia in Everyday Life (1999)
  • Keeping America Sane: Psychiatry and Eugenics in the United States and Canada, 1880-1940 (1997)
  • Inheriting Madness: Professionalization and Psychiatric Knowledge in 19th Century France (1991)

References

  1. ^ "The Cathedral Institute". stpeter.org. 2011 [last update]. Retrieved 26 September 2011. The staff who run the Institute are ... Professor Ian Dowbiggin and Professor Philip Davis, our Consultants and Coordinators {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)
  2. ^ "Class of 2011: List of New Fellows" (PDF). Royal Society of Canada.
  3. ^ Weikart, Richard (2004). "Killing Them Kindly: Lessons from the euthanasia movement". Retrieved July 23, 2011.
  4. ^ a b Larson, Edward (2004). "Review: Euthanasia in America: Past, Present, and Future: A Review of a "Merciful End" and "Forced Exit"". Michigan Law Review. 102 (6): 1245–1262. JSTOR 4141944.
  5. ^ "Oxford University Press: A Merciful End: Ian Dowbiggin". www.oup.com. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
  6. ^ Woien, Sandra (2007). "Review of Ian Dowbiggin, A Concise History of Euthanasia: Life, Death, God, and Medicine and Neal Nicol and Harry Wylie, Between the Dying and the Dead: Dr. Jack Kevorkian's Life and the Battle to Legalize Euthanasia". American Journal of Bioethics. 7 (11): 50–52.
  7. ^ Canadian Historical Association Website: http://cha-shc.ca/en/Prizes_24/items/10.html
  8. ^ Casey, Donna. "Debating euthanasia". CNews. Sun Media. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
  9. ^ Yuill, Kevin (October 26, 2007). "spiked review of books". The Spiked Review of Books. Retrieved July 23, 2011. {{cite web}}: Text "Killer arguments against euthanasia" ignored (help)
  10. ^ Dowbiggin, Ian (June 5, 1993). "After Marx and Freud, is Darwin next to tumble?". The Star. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
  11. ^ Gosgnach, Tony (November 22, 2005). "National Pro-Life Conference in Montreal A Rousing Success Despite Setbacks". LifeSiteNews.com. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
  12. ^ "Prof Links Euthanasia, Eugenics, Sex Education, Population Control, Gay Rights and Abortion Movements". LifeSiteNews.com. November 17, 2003. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
  13. ^ "Excellent speakers at euthanasia symposium". theinterim.com. 2011 [last update]. Retrieved November 14, 2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)
  14. ^ Dowbiggin, Ian (2008). The Sterilization Movement and Global Fertility in the Twentieth Century. Oxford University Press. p. 2. ISBN 0195188586. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  15. ^ Carolyn L. Westhoff, M.D. (2008). "The Sterilization Movement and Global Fertility in the Twentieth Century". N Engl J Med. 359: 1854–1855.
  16. ^ a b Dowbiggin, Ian (2011 [last update]). "Why is Anti-Catholicism Tolerated?". catholiceducation.org. Retrieved November 14, 2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)

External links

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