A revised and updated version of this essay is now on-line here at the Stanford Encyclopedia for Philosophy, for those who might be interested. A much fuller treatment of these issues, including my replies to a variety of critics (including Michael Moore, Jules Coleman, John Finnis, Julie Dickson, and others), will be forthcoming (simultaneously in cloth and paper, happily) later this Spring from OUP.



My former colleagues at another university in Middle East have also been moved to online teaching indefinitely, with the students…