“The Birthmark” is a remarkable and challenging short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne, which tells the tale of an ambitious and talented scientist whose drive for perfection and desire for control ultimately destroy what and who he loves — and raises timeless questions about human limitation, the technological imperative, and the consequences of disordered love. Our summer Reading features an insightful introduction by Stanford University professor and bioethicist William Hurlbut — who relates the story of his encounter with the text as a member of the President’s Commission on Bio-ethics.
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