Is Nothing Sacred?

"I do feel a sense of the sacred in a number of respects and I could quote other scientists who feel the same." Richard Dawkins We call many things sacred, from cows, churches and paintings to flags and burial grounds. Is it still meaningful to talk of things being sacred, or is the idea merely a relic of a bygone religious age? Does everything--and every life--have its price?Is Nothing Sacred?is a stimulating and wide-ranging debate about some of the major moral dilemmas facing us today, such as the value of human life, art, the environment, and personal freedom. It brings together outstanding philosophers and thinkers, including Simon Blackburn, Richard Dawkins, Ronald Dworkin, Nigel Warburton and John Harris. Packed with clearly presented controversial issues, we are asked to decide whether we should revere life when someone chooses to die, preserve the giant California redwoods, cherish Vermeer's originals for their own sake, or curtail personal freedom for the greater good.Throughout, the idea of the sacred in a secular age is hotly debated among the authors and put to the test: should it be abandoned altogether, or does it still have something to teach us? Is Nothing Sacred?is essential reading for anyone interested in why we value the things that matter to us most.