Human Enhancement: Destiny or Disaster?

Conference Announcement

Human Enhancement: Destiny or Disaster?

University House, Professors Road,

The University of Melbourne

3 July 2015

The Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics (Charles Sturt University and the University of Melbourne) and the Oxford Centre for Neuroethics (University of Oxford) will be co-hosting a conference on the theme ‘Human Enhancement: Destiny or Disaster?’ on Friday 3 July, 2015. Convenors: Steve Clarke, C.A.J. Coady, Julian Savulescu, Alberto Giubilini and Sagar Sanyal.

The prospect of enhancing human mental and physical abilities above normal limits has been enthusiastically embraced by several leading bioethicists and philosophers. However, many people are alarmed by the thought of humans being able to enhance themselves, fearing that this ability may be misused. In this conference leading philosophers and bioethicists come together to discuss whether or not human enhancement is the destiny we should embrace or a potential disaster we should avoid.

REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED: Please email Sagar Sanyal if you would like to attend the conference: [email protected]

Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE/* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}

Program:

9.20-9.30 Introduction

9.30-10.15 Francesca Minerva, University of Melbourne: From Disability to Enhancement

10.15-11.00 Simon Longstaff, St. James Ethics Centre: On the Virtue of Being Vulnerable

11.00-11.15 Morning Tea

11.15-12.15 Russell Powell, Boston University: The Evolution of Enhancement: Toward a Naturalistic Theory of Moral Progress

12.15-1.15 Karim Jebari, Institute for Futures Studies, Stockholm: Human Nature and the Spectre of Human Enhancement

1.15-2.15 Lunch

2.15-3.00 Russell Blackford, University of Newcastle: What if Nothing is Sacred? Politics and Bioethics without Sanctity

3.00-3.45 Julian Savulescu, University of Oxford: Partiality to Humanity and Enhancement

3.45-4.00 Afternoon Tea

4.00-4.45 Justin Oakley, Monash University: Personal Integrity, Role Alienation, and Utilitarian Moral Enhancement

4.45-5.30 C.A.J. Coady, University of Melbourne: Reason, Emotion and Morality: Some Cautions for the Enhancement Project

Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE/* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}