Biotechnology and the Nonreligious Uses of God Talk

Abstract

Evans begins by showing that there is a slight tendency for the American public to oppose the use of religious justifications for political arguments. Political theorists assume that the support or opposition to this “God talk” in the public sphere is due to its transcendent content. Evans claims that “God talk” is not just transcendent but is also a type of “thick” discourse that concerns the more fundamental and social aspects of an issue. Through an empirical examination of survey data, Evans demonstrates that, independent of the religious views of the respondent, those who are supportive of “God talk” are less supportive of genetic enhancement. Evans concludes that “God talk” is not only about God but is used to articulate “thick” concerns about biotechnology.