Reminder: Everyday philosophy
Quick reminder of a forthcoming talk at the Oxford Playhouse on the 11th February, given by Philosophy Bites author Nigel Warburton:
What is philosophy? Who needs it? Writer and podcaster Nigel Warburton, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the Open University, discusses the relevance of philosophy to life today. From questions about the limits of free speech to the nature of happiness, from what art is to the impact of new technology, philosophy offers insights into questions that matter. Warburton will explore how the thoughts of some of the great philosophers of the past shed light on our present day predicament.
Advance notice: Everyday philosophy
Advance notice of a forthcoming talk at the Oxford Playhouse on the 11th February, given by Philosophy Bites author Nigel Warburton:
What is philosophy? Who needs it? Writer and podcaster Nigel Warburton, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the Open University, discusses the relevance of philosophy to life today. From questions about the limits of free speech to the nature of happiness, from what art is to the impact of new technology, philosophy offers insights into questions that matter. Warburton will explore how the thoughts of some of the great philosophers of the past shed light on our present day predicament.
Oxford Debates — Performance-Enhancing Drugs Should be Allowed in Sport — Moderator’s Opening Statement
by Roger Crisp
Taking drugs to improve one’s sporting performance seems, on the face of it, a paradigmatic example of a wrong action. It combines two activities usually considered shameful: the use of banned substances, and cheating.
But on closer inspection the issue is more complicated. The use of some drugs, such as nicotine or caffeine (both of which might enhance performance in some cases), carries little or no stigma, and the charge of cheating would be inappropriate were the drugs in question explicitly permitted.
Drugs in Sport debate and special edition
Over the next month Oxford Online Debates will be tackling the motion "Performance enhancing drugs should be allowed in sport". We will try to collect together relevant materials and blog posts below
in this special edition.
The hammer or the nail – are addicts morally responsible?
In a case that is probably echoed daily across this country and many others, an amphetamine addict Michael Hunter was jailed yesterday for attacking a friend with a hammer. The judge noted that
"amphetamine had clearly affected
Hunter’s mental health, but he highlighted the fact that he had been
responsible for two unprovoked attacks using weapons."
The judge alluded to the question of responsibility and the influence of addiction. Are addicts morally responsible? Should drug addiction excuse or mitigate blame for actions taken under their influence?
Symposium Announcement: Human Enhancement: What should be permitted?
The Brocher Foundation, and the Universities of Oxford and Geneva are pleased to announce the Symposium:
Human Enhancement: What should be permitted?
20-21 October 2009, Brocher Centre, Geneva, Switzerland
Biomedical science is increasingly yielding technologies that can be used to enhance the capacities of healthy people, as well as to treat disease. This two-day workshop will aim to advance the debate on the ethics of human enhancement by considering
(1) What enhancements are likely to become possible?
(2) What enhancements will be ethically permissible?
(3) What enhancements should be legally permitted?
(4) What criteria should be used to answer 2 and 3?
THE PROGRAMME WILL INCLUDE SESSIONS ON:
Enhancement in sport
Life extension
Neuro-enhancement
Enhancement in general
AND PRESENTATIONS BY, AMONG OTHERS:
Eric Juengst (Case Western)
Paul Root Wolpe (Emory)
Hank Greely (Stanford)
John Harris (Manchester)
Tom Murray (The Hastings Center)
Julian Savulescu (Oxford)
Alexandre Mauron (Geneva)
ORGANISERS
Julian Savulescu, Alexandre Mauron, Bengt Kayser, Verner Moller, Tom Douglas
TO ATTEND THE EVENT,
you are kindly requested to fill in the registration form and to send it back to the Brocher Foundation by mail, e-mail or fax before 5 October 2009. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
Fondation Brocher
471 rte d’Hermance, 1248 Hermance, Switzerland
E-mail: scientificprog@brocher.ch
Fax: 0041 22 751 93 91
Oxford Debates – The NHS should not treat self-inflicted illness (Moderator’s Introduction)
Moderator: Dr Paula Boddington
Should the NHS treat self-inflicted illness? This question raises a plethora of different issues, about science, society, social policy, as well as philosophical questions about human nature and individual freedom.
The best use of health care resources will always be debated. How much money should be spent on health? How efficiently can it be spent? How should it be divided within the healthcare system? These can never simply be questions of economics but also raise vitally important questions about values. This debate about what treatments the NHS should offer is taking place in an economic climate where there is a call to curtail public spending. Would refusing to treat self-inflicted illnesses be a fair place to start to save money?
But money is only one aspect of this debate.
2009 Uehiro Lectures: Allen Buchanan on The Ethics of Biomedical Enhancement
Professor Allen Buchanan, James B. Duke Professor of Philosophy, Duke University will give a series of three lectures 'Beyond Humanity? The Ethics of Biomedical Enhancement' on Tuesdays May 5, May 12 and May 19 16.30 – 18.30 at the Martin Wood Lecture Theatre, Department of Physics, Parks Road, Oxford. ALL WELCOME no need to book
Event Announcement: Direct to Consumer Genetic Testing Workshop May 21
The Ethox Centre and the Programme on the Ethics of New Biosciences are co-organising a one-day workshop to explore the ethical and regulatory issues surrounding the recent development and marketing of direct to consumer genetic tests.
Companies such as deCODE Genetics, 23andME and DNADirect are already marketing direct to consumer genetic tests but there has so far been little in-depth discussion about the potential benefits and risks of such tests, and how to manage them through regulation. The workshop will bring together experts in ethics, science, business and law to discuss the scientific, commercial, consumer, ethical and regulatory aspects and to consider how to ensure this emerging market is properly managed.
Currently confirmed speakers include:
Jonathan Wolff (Nuffield Council on Bioethics and University College London)
Rob Reid (Which? Magazine)
Stuart Hogarth (Centre for Biomedicine and Society at King's College London)
Helen Wallace (GeneWatch UK)
The workshop will be held on May 21 at the James Martin 21st Century School, Old Indian Institute, 34 Broad Street Oxford OX1 3BD, from 10am to 5pm. To reserve a place or for more information, please email Rachel.woodcock@philosophy.ox.ac.uk
Special lecture: Jeff McMahan on Cognitive Disability and Cognitive Enhancement
Friday 27 February, 12.30 p.m. – 2.00 p.m.
Venue: Seminar Room 1, Old Indian Institute, 34 Broad St, Oxford, OX1 3BD
Abstract: There are some members of the human species whose cognitive capacities and potential are no higher than those of higher nonhuman animals. I will seek to explain why it is important for our understanding of various problems in bioethics to determine what the moral status of these human beings is. I will argue, for example, that they force us to reconsider the scope of certain principles of justice and equality. And I will suggest that it may help us to understand their moral status to consider the possibility that our progeny might be cognitively enhanced to such an extent that their capacities would exceed our own by more than ours exceed those of higher nonhuman animals.
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