Dr. Richard F. Teichgraeber III

The most recent example of exposing the strident to the moderate glare of "enlightenment" comes by way of Richard F. Teichgraeber III, director of the Murphy Institute at Tulane University.In a column appearing in The Times-Picayune (Aug. 20), Teichgraeber reflects on the recent decision by President Bush concerning stem-cell research using human embryos.

The thrust of his column has to do with the slippery-slope argument - "once you start down the slope, you must slide all the way down, unable to stop at any point along the way."

The merits or deficiencies of such an argument have long been debated.What is of interest in the column is this: Teichgraeber has detected a strident opponent "of all abortion rights" in Richard M. Doerflinger, a spokesman for the Catholic bishops.

"Not too many operations in the city have as much economic clout as the university," said Professor Richard Teichgraeber of Tulane University.

Dr. Richard Teichgraeber III

Dr. Teichgraeber is Professor of History and Director of the Murphy Institute of Political Economy.He received his B.A. cum laude from Amherst College in 1971 and his Ph.D. from the History of Ideas Program, Brandeis University in 1978.Before joining the Tulane faculty, he spent two years as a Teaching and Research Fellow in the History Department at Stanford University; he was appointed Director of the Murphy Institute in 1984.