Jean-Claude Guillebaud (Algiers, Algeria, 1944) is a French writer, essayist, journalist and editor.

A journalist for the newspaper Sud Ouest, Le Monde and Nouvel Observateur, he has been president of Reporters Without Borders.

He received the 1972 Albert London Award for best reporter in written language.

Among his most recent published books are: La Trahison des Lumières (Jean-Jacques Rouseau prize, 1995), The Tyranny of Pleasure (Renaudor-essay prize, 1998), La Refondation du monde, The Principle of Humanity (European essay prize "Charles Veillon" 2001).

In The Principle of Humanity, the French essayist argues that the biotechnological revolution, economism, as well as the rise of scientism are progressively dehumanizing man. There are thinkers like Singer who do not attribute more importance to the human species than to others; theories about intelligence that assimilate the mind to a computer; biogenetic manipulations —the use of embryos for research, cloning, etc.— that objectify the human being. At this risky juncture, Guillebaud tries to restore the position of the human being, appealing to ethical principles based on the Greek and, above all, Judeo-Christian tradition. And he draws attention to the eugenic risks of the new techniques.