Practical Ethics

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

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.

We are pleased to announce Professor Allen Buchanan’s Leverhulme Lecture Series ‘Ethics in Political Reality’. Allen Buchanan is James B. Duke Professor Philosophy at Duke University. His research is in political philosophy, with a focus on international issues, and bioethics, with a focus on the ethics of genetic interventions with human beings. He is visiting Oxford as  Leverhulme Visiting Professor for four months, and will be giving the 2009 Uehiro Lectures.

The lectures are open to all including the public and there is no need to book. For further information, please email ethics@philosophy.ox.ac.uk

Please see full post for the details on each lecture

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Professor Walter Sinnott-Armstrong will be giving two Leverhulme lectures and a special ethics seminar on Neuroscience and Neuroethics at the University of Oxford as part of his Leverhulme Visiting Professorship programme 2008 – 10. Walter Sinnott-Armstrong is Professor of Philosophy and Hardy Professor of Legal Studies, at Dartmouth College, and is and Co-Director, MacArthur Law and Neuroscience Project. See extended post for full details of these lectures

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