Follow the links for further information, including how to attend where conferences are open for booking. We have recently begun to podcast our special lectures.
January
Moral and Practical Reasoning in Biomedical Contexts Lecture Date: HT10 Week 1 - 21 January, 2.00 - 4.00 pm Lecturer: Professor Janet Radcliffe Richards Venue: Examination Schools, The High, Oxford Further details: Click here
St Cross Special Lecture Date: 28 January - 5.30 - 7.30 Speaker: Dominic Wilkinson (Uehiro Centre and Ethox Centre, University of Oxford) Title: "Neuroethics and Neonatal Prognosis" Venue: St Cross Room, St Cross College, St Giles, Oxford
Abstract: Emerging technologies for assessing brain function give rise to a range of ethical and philosophical questions. The field of neuroethics has, to date, largely focussed on adults. However, there are also difficult questions raised by neuroscience for children and newborn infants. New forms of brain imaging have the potential to predict the nature as well as severity of future impairment for newborn infants, and such predictions play a significant role in decisions to continue or withdraw life-sustaining treatment in intensive care. In this paper I examine ethical issues raised by the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for infants with birth asphyxia. I review the science underpinning prognostic use of MRI in infants and argue that the scientific evidence is undermined by a failure to clarify the purpose of prognostication. Existing guidelines and case law are extremely vague about the level of impairment that would justify a decision to withdraw or withhold life-sustaining treatment for a newborn infant. I will outline an alternative framework for interpreting the results of neuroimaging and determining whether it is permissible to allow a disabled newborn infant to die.
Booking: Booking required. All interested in attending the talk and / or a dinner afterwards should email ethics@philosophy.ox.ac.uk
Moral and Practical Reasoning in Biomedical Contexts Lecture Date: HT10 Week 2 - 28 January, 2.00 - 4.00 pm Lecturer: Professor Janet Radcliffe Richards Venue: Examination Schools, The High, Oxford Further details: Click here
HeLEX Talking Law and Ethics - Lunchtime Seminar Date: 28 January, 12.00 - 1.00 pm Speaker: Paula Boddington, Research Associate Title: Consent in Genomics Research Venue: Seminar Room B, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Old Road Campus Further details:Full programme, further details etc.
February
HeLEX Talking Law and Ethics - Lunchtime Seminar Date: 4 February, 12.00 - 1.00 pm Speaker: Liam Curren, Researcher-In-Law Title: Why should we worry about confidentiality and privacy? Venue: Seminar Room A, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Old Road Campus
Further details:Full programme, etc.
Moral and Practical Reasoning in Biomedical Contexts Lecture Date: HT10 Week 3 - 4 February, 2.00 - 4.00 pm Lecturer: Professor Janet Radcliffe Richards Venue: Examination Schools, The High, Oxford Further details: Click here
HeLEX Talking Law and Ethics - Lunchtime Seminar Date: 11 February, 12.00 - 1.00 pm Speaker: Jane Kaye, Director Title: Who owns your research samples and information? Venue: Seminar Room A, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Old Road Campus Further details:Full programme, etc.
Moral and Practical Reasoning in Biomedical Contexts Lecture Date: HT10 Week 4 - 11 February, 2.00 - 4.00 pm Lecturer: Professor Janet Radcliffe Richards Venue: Examination Schools, The High, Oxford Further details: Click here
Special Lecture - Dr Paula Casal Date: 15 February, 5.30 -7.00 pm+ dinner after Speaker: Dr Paula Casal (University of Reading) Title: “Apethics: Moral Reflections on the Great Apes” Venue: James Martin 21st Century School, Old Indian Institute, Broad Street, Oxford
Abstract: Recent scientific findings have caused a large increase in the number of people who believe that the great apes should have certain rights. This is an important and desirable development in the animal movement and in applied ethics. It does not, however, exhaust the connection between primatology and moral philosophy. Primatological data has also been employed to discuss personhood, full moral-standing, and the concept of agency. The talk discusses some less explored implications including the distinction between natural and social inequality, theories of crime and punishment, and new error theories, in the light of data regarding great apes’ abilities, politics and proto-moral behaviour. Booking: No booking required for the lecture, but if you would like to attend the dinner afterwards please email nicholas.iles@philosophy.ox.ac.uk
Moral and Practical Reasoning in Biomedical Contexts Lecture Date: HT10 Week 5 - 18 February, 2.00 - 4.00 pm Lecturer: Professor Janet Radcliffe Richards Venue: Examination Schools, The High, Oxford Further details: Click here
2nd St Cross Special Ethics Seminar Date: 22 February, 5.30pm Speaker: Professor Julian Savulescu Title: "Unfit For Life: Genetically Enhance Humanity or Face Extinction" Venue: St Cross Room, St Cross College, St Giles, Oxford Abstract: In a letter to his friend and mentor Joseph Hooker, Darwin wrote 'What a book a Devil's Chaplain might write on the clumsy, wasteful, blundering, low and horridly cruel works of nature!' Human beings have the biology of Pleistocene man, that of a hunter-gather. I will examine the nature of human beings as products of evolution and identify moral limitations in human nature. I will examine the implications of our limited altruism, co-operation and ability to take account of the future consequences of our actions in a world of advanced technology and liberal democracy. I will argue that our biology and psychology are unfit for the kind of society we live in.
If we are to avoid technological disaster, we must either alter our political institutions, severely restrain our technology or change our nature. Or face annihilation by our own design Booking: If you would like to attend the seminar or the dinner afterwards, please email nicholas.iles@philosophy.ox.ac.uk. Further details: Presentation devised by Professor Julian Savulescu and Professor Ingmar Persson, Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, University of Oxford. The seminar will be followed by a drinks reception, and a dinner afterwards. Download flier.
Special Lecture - Professor Will Kymlicka Date: 23 February, 5:00 pm (followed by dinner) Speaker: Professor Will Kymlicka,
Canada Research Chair in Political Philosophy at Queen’s University Title: "Zoopolis: A Political Theory of Animal Rights" Venue: Lecture Room, Faculty of Philosophy, 10 Merton Street, OX1 4JJ (http://www.philosophy.ox.ac.uk/the_faculty/how_to_find_us) Brief Abstract: This paper seeks to move beyond familiar debates about the moral standing of animals to develop a more explicitly political theory of animal rights. It explores how different groups of animals relate to human societies, and how these relationships can be illuminated by incorporating ideas of sovereignty, colonization, denizenship, and citizenship into our theories of animal rights. Further details: Full bio and abstract | Download flier
Booking: No booking required for the lecture, however if you wish to be included in the restaurant booking, please email fhi@philosophy.ox.ac.uk by 16 February.
BIOS Centre Annual Public Lecture Date:25 February, 6.00 pm Speaker:Professor Rayna Rapp, Professor of Anthropology, New York University Title: Chasing Science: Laboratory Inquiries, Children's Brains, Family Labours Venue: Wolfson Theatre, New Academic Building, London School of Economics Abstract: Over the last three decades, an escalating portion of US school children has been classified for special education; those entitled to services now number 15% of all public school pupils. At the same time, scientists have focused increasingly on juvenile brains, studying what one psychiatric epidemiologist labels "social incapacities". This paper reports on laboratory labours of two scientific groups: neuroscientists who scan children's brains in search of resting state differences according to diagnosis; and psychiatric epidemiologists who look to epigenetics to distinguish differential diagnostic populations. Booking: The event is open to all and free to attend. Email bios@lse.ac.uk to book your place.
Further details:
www.lse.ac.uk/bios
HeLEX Talking Law and Ethics - Lunchtime Seminar Date: 18 February, 12.00 - 1.00 pm Speaker: Nadja Kanellopoulou, Senior Researcher Title: Should you feedback results to participants? Venue: Seminar Room B, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Old Road Campus Further details:Full programme, etc.
Moral and Practical Reasoning in Biomedical Contexts Lecture Date: HT10 Week 6 - 25 February, 2.00 - 4.00 pm Lecturer: Professor Janet Radcliffe Richards Venue: Examination Schools, The High, Oxford Further details: Click here
HeLEX Talking Law and Ethics - Lunchtime Seminar Date: 25 February, 12.00 - 1.00 pm Speaker:
Naomi Hawkins, Researcher in Law Title: Planning for translational research in genomics Venue: Seminar Room B, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Old Road Campus
Further details:Full programme, etc.
March
Moral and Practical Reasoning in Biomedical Contexts Lecture Date: HT10 Week 7 - 4 March, 2.00 - 4.00 pm Lecturer: Professor Janet Radcliffe Richards Venue: Examination Schools, The High, Oxford Further details: Click here
HeLEX Talking Law and Ethics - Lunchtime Seminar Date: 4 March, 12.00 - 1.00 pm Speaker: Karen Melham, Oxford Bioethics Network Title: Facing the Research Ethics Committee Venue: Seminar Room B, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Old Road Campus Further details:Full programme, etc.
Moral and Practical Reasoning in Biomedical Contexts Lecture Date: HT10 Week 8 - 11 March, 2.00 - 4.00 pm Lecturer: Professor Janet Radcliffe Richards Venue: Examination Schools, The High, Oxford Further details: Click here
May
First Annual Wellcome Public Lecture Date:Tuesday 12 May, 7.00 - 8.15 pm Speaker: Professor Steven Hyman (Provost, Harvard University) Title: "Meditations on Self-Control: Lessons from the Neurobiology of Addiction." Venue: Oxford University Musuem of Natural History, Parks Road, Oxford
Organised by the Wellcome Centre for Neuroethics. No booking required. For further details contact nicholas.iles@philosophy.ox.ac.uk
