Reviews
"Decew makes powerful and persuasive arguments. . . She uses techniques of counterexample, isolation of generalizable principles, analysis, and refutation to fashion from the messy confusion of situational facts a legal concept of privacy that reflects common values and safeguards individuals' integrity."-Andrea Nye, Signs. Autumn, 1999., "In Pursuit of Privacy makes a significant contribution to the on-going philosophical debate on the nature and value of privacy. In particular, DeCew's attempt to furnish a systematic justification of a broad conception of privacy is worth careful study and her analyses of present-day dangers to privacy deserve every citizen's thoughtful attention."-Ethics, "Well-written and balanced. . . . Readers not already expert in the legal and the philosophical literatures will find this an enlightening analysis, and experts too should find some food for thought."-Daniel N. Hoffman, The Law and Politics Book Review, DeCew's writing is crystal clear and fully accessible to an intelligent reader without a formal background in philosophy or law. She carefully explains the relevant legal history of the concept of privacy and the current narrow understandings, shows the historical and contemporary conceptual and legal problems, develops and defends her own broader understanding, then applies her conception of privacy to burning issues on the contemporary legal landscape. I know of no other book quite like this., Decew makes powerful and persuasive arguments.... She uses techniques of counterexample, isolation of generalizable principles, analysis, and refutation to fashion from the messy confusion of situational facts a legal concept of privacy that reflects common values and safeguards individuals' integrity., "Privacy as a constitutional warrant is an important, controversial, and enigmatic concept. . . . Judith Wagner DeCew provides a useful introduction to the landscape of the debate. . . . An accessible starting point for those interested in thinking more carefully and systematically about this ever-evolving concept."-Feminist Approaches to Bioethics Newsletter, "DeCew's writing is crystal clear and fully accessible to an intelligent reader without a formal background in philosophy or law. She carefully explains the relevant legal history of the concept of privacy and the current narrow understandings, shows the historical and contemporary conceptual and legal problems, develops and defends her own broader understanding, then applies her conception of privacy to burning issues on the contemporary legal landscape. I know of no other book quite like this."-Joan Callahan, University of Kentucky, This book is a careful, well-written, thoroughly researched, and original piece of scholarship. DeCew begins with a thoughtful history of the notion of privacy, then discusses narrow views of privacy as found in U.S. law. She applies her analysis to four well-established thorns in the side of public policy--abortion, gay and lesbian sexual practices, drug testing, and information technologies. Her discussions are well developed, learned, and beautifully clear. They are a pleasure to read., "Privacy as a constitutional warrant is an important, controversial, and enigmatic concept. . . . Judith Wagner DeCew provides a useful introduction to the landscape of the debate. . . . An accessible starting point for those interested in thinking more carefully and systematically about this ever-evolving concept."--Feminist Approaches to Bioethics Newsletter, "In Pursuit of Privacy makes a significant contribution to the on-going philosophical debate on the nature and value of privacy. In particular, DeCew's attempt to furnish a systematic justification of a broad conception of privacy is worth careful study and her analyses of present-day dangers to privacy deserve every citizen's thoughtful attention."--Ethics, "Well-written and balanced. . . . Readers not already expert in the legal and the philosophical literatures will find this an enlightening analysis, and experts too should find some food for thought."--Daniel N. Hoffman, The Law and Politics Book Review, In Pursuit of Privacy makes a significant contribution to the on-going philosophical debate on the nature and value of privacy. In particular, DeCew's attempt to furnish a systematic justification of a broad conception of privacy is worth careful study and her analyses of present-day dangers to privacy deserve every citizen's thoughtful attention., Well-written and balanced.... Readers not already expert in the legal and the philosophical literatures will find this an enlightening analysis, and experts too should find some food for thought., In Pursuit of Privacy can serve as an excellent introduction to privacy issues in American jurisprudence, carefully laying out the history of privacy in tort and constitutional law, and presenting important contemporary issues., "DeCew's writing is crystal clear and fully accessible to an intelligent reader without a formal background in philosophy or law. She carefully explains the relevant legal history of the concept of privacy and the current narrow understandings, shows the historical and contemporary conceptual and legal problems, develops and defends her own broader understanding, then applies her conception of privacy to burning issues on the contemporary legal landscape. I know of no other book quite like this."--Joan Callahan, University of Kentucky, "This book is a careful, well-written, thoroughly researched, and original piece of scholarship. DeCew begins with a thoughtful history of the notion of privacy, then discusses narrow views of privacy as found in U.S. law. She applies her analysis to four well-established thorns in the side of public policy--abortion, gay and lesbian sexual practices, drug testing, and information technologies. Her discussions are well developed, learned, and beautifully clear. They are a pleasure to read."--Hilde Lindemann Nelson, University of Tennessee, Privacy as a constitutional warrant is an important, controversial, and enigmatic concept.... Judith Wagner DeCew provides a useful introduction to the landscape of the debate.... An accessible starting point for those interested in thinking more carefully and systematically about this ever-evolving concept., "In Pursuit of Privacy can serve as an excellent introduction to privacy issues in American jurisprudence, carefully laying out the history of privacy in tort and constitutional law, and presenting important contemporary issues."--Philip Cafaro, Philosophy in Review. February-December, 1999., "Decew makes powerful and persuasive arguments. . . She uses techniques of counterexample, isolation of generalizable principles, analysis, and refutation to fashion from the messy confusion of situational facts a legal concept of privacy that reflects common values and safeguards individuals' integrity."--Andrea Nye, Signs. Autumn, 1999., "In Pursuit of Privacy can serve as an excellent introduction to privacy issues in American jurisprudence, carefully laying out the history of privacy in tort and constitutional law, and presenting important contemporary issues."-Philip Cafaro, Philosophy in Review. February-December, 1999.
