{{short description|2013 book by Robert P. George}} {{Infobox book | name = Conscience and Its Enemies: Confronting the Dogmas of Liberal Secularism | image = File:Conscience and Its Enemies.jpg | caption = Cover of the first edition | authors = Robert P. George | illustrator = | cover_artist = | country = United States | language = English | series = | subject = Ethics | publisher = ISI Books | release_date = 2013 | media_type = Print | pages = 384 | isbn = 978-1610170703 | dewey= | congress= | oclc= | preceded_by = | followed_by = }} '''''Conscience and Its Enemies: Confronting the Dogmas of Liberal Secularism''''' is a 2013 book by the political philosopher Robert P. George. The book received both positive and negative reviews. The book is a collection of essays.<ref name="america">Kevin M. Doyle, [http://www.americamagazine.org/issue/culture/lamb-fox-lion Lamb, Fox, Lion], ''America'', November 18, 2013</ref> The main topics are abortion and same-sex marriage.<ref name="america" /> Another topic is immigration.<ref name="nationalreview">[http://www.nationalreview.com/article/353233/what-conscience-really-means-interview What 'Conscience' Really Means: Towards a Reintroduction], ''The National Review'', July 12, 2013</ref> George approaches these topics via natural law.<ref name="america" />
==Reception== The book was praised by Anthony Esolen in ''Crisis Magazine''.<ref name="crisismag">Anthony Esolen, [http://www.crisismagazine.com/2013/why-we-should-respect-someone-elses-conscience Why We Should Respect Someone Else's Conscience], ''Crisis Magazine'', September 6, 2013</ref> Similarly, Ed Gantt, a visiting fellow at the Wheatley Institution at Brigham Young University, suggested "the essays in this volume [were] concise, clearly argued, and enlightening."<ref name="wheatley">[http://wheatleyinstitution.byu.edu/notes/note.cfm?id=7 Wheatley Institution: Review of Conscience and Its Enemies] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20141027082851/http://wheatleyinstitution.byu.edu/notes/note.cfm?id=7 |date=2014-10-27 }}</ref> He concluded that it was "a truly wonderful book, a must-read for anyone serious interested in developing a deeper and more sophisticated understanding of the important social and moral issues of our day."<ref name="wheatley"/> Writing for ''The Washington Times'', William Murchison praised the book, suggesting, "There’s not a boring or humdrum essay in the lot."<ref name="washingtontimes">William Murchison, [http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jun/18/book-review-conscience-and-its-enemies/ Book Review: 'Conscience and Its Enemies'], ''The Washington Times'', June 18, 2013</ref>
Writing for ''The New York Times'', Kay S. Hymowitz, a Fellow at the conservative think tank Manhattan Institute, called it, "a plea for liberty of conscience, or more specifically, for religious liberty."<ref name="nytimes">Kay S. Hymowitz, [https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/23/books/review/conscience-and-its-enemies-by-robert-p-george.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Natural Lawyer], ''The New York Times'', June 21, 2013</ref> She rejected the notion that George's ideas were homophobic, arguing that his "philosophical ideas [...] predate the modern concept of sexual identity."<ref name="nytimes"/> She added that he was "exceptionally nimble when he spars with conventional contemporary political and social thought."<ref name="nytimes"/> She concluded that he spoke "for a sizable number of conscientious objectors to America’s ruling liberal secularism."<ref name="nytimes"/>
In ''America'', Kevin M. Doyle criticized the book, arguing that it was "noncommital, sending signals in different directions."<ref name="america"/> George published a dissenting response in ''Public Discourse'', the journal of the Witherspoon Institute with which he is affiliated.<ref name="publicdiscourse">Robert P. George, [http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2013/11/11233/ Conscience and Its Reviewers: A Response to Kevin Doyle], ''Public Discourse'', November 20, 2013</ref> Writing for ''Commentary'', Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry suggested George's use of natural law was reductive.<ref name="commentary">Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry, [https://www.commentary.org/articles/pascal-emmanuel-gobry/a-moral-authority/ A Moral Authority], ''Commentary'', July 01, 2013</ref> He added that George fails to address the fact that opposition to abortion rights was historically misogynistic.<ref name="commentary"/> Moreover, he argued that George failed to explain "how the constitutional system would work without judicial review," adding that his faith in an "informed citizenry" was naive.<ref name="commentary"/> He concluded that the book would fail to influence George's liberal critics.<ref name="commentary"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
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Category:2013 non-fiction books Category:American non-fiction books Category:Books by Robert P. George Category:Conservative media in the United States Category:English-language non-fiction books