Moral & Criminal Responsibility and Neuroscience

June 18, 2012 - June 19, 2012
Institute of Philosophy, School of Advanced Study, University of London

Stewart House
London WC1E 7HU
United Kingdom

View the Call For Papers

Speakers:

Stephen Morse
University of Pennsylvania
Thomas Nadelhoffer
Dickinson College

Organisers:

Helen Beebee
University of Birmingham
Marion Godman
Institute of Philosophy, School of Advanced Study, University of London

Topic areas

Talks at this conference

Add a talk

Details

This workshop aims to bring together early-career researchers in law, philosophy, neuroscience, and psychology to explore in what way, if any, recent findings in neuroscience (broadly construed) can inform debates on the source of voluntary action and the related notions of moral and criminal responsibility.

Issues that might be addressed are: Should we hold criminals diagnosed with psychopathy less accountable for their crimes given that studies show that psychopaths have reduced moral judgment and/or empathy? Does evidence from neuroscience and behavioral genetics have any implications for the scope of circumstances that are understood as “mitigating”? Does such evidence have any bearing on whether the purpose of punishment for criminal acts should be conceived as a matter of retribution or rehabilitation? Do the “timing experiments” by Benjamin Libet and others fundamentally undermine the voluntary control condition that many compatibilists claim is a condition for moral accountability? If so, does it in turn also undermine the condition for criminal responsibility?

Supporting material

Add supporting material (slides, programs, etc.)

Reminders

Registration

Yes

May 28, 2012, 10:00am BST

Who is attending?

No one has said they will attend yet.

Will you attend this event?


Let us know so we can notify you of any change of plan.

RSVPing on PhilEvents is not sufficient to register for this event.