European Information Network - Ethics in Medicine and Biotechnology
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European Information Network - Ethics in Medicine and BiotechnologyA project of the European Commission,Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources Programme |
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| Date: | 30.07.2009, 17:30h to 01.08.2009, 19:30h |
| Location: | Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen
Verfügungsgebäude
Hörsaal 0.02 (EG)
Wilhelmstraße 19
72074 Tübingen Tübingen Deutschland |
| Keywords: | Eugenics/Enhancement - Gene therapy |
| Details: | “What is the human being?” can be considered the key question of anthropology. It is connected with the question for the limits of mankind. Throughout history anthropologists have interpreted humanity in different ways and often inferred moral conclusions from their answers. Many of these inferences were fueled by questions about our rank in nature and the role naturalness plays in ethical considerations. Such discussions about anthropological statements and their moral dimension gain new importance when we think about the possibilities for self-design brought to us by modern biotechniques. Hitherto conceived as being almost unchangeable, human traits now appear to be submitted to individual design. Hence, their apparent doubtlessness is lost. For that reason, the traditional question about our human nature and its moral inference has to be faced in new ways. To clarify some of the problems emerging in this context, the Research Training Group “Bioethics - Self-Design of Human Beings by the Use of Biotechniques” (GRK 889/3 of the German Research Foundation, DFG) at the Interdepartmental Centre for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW) of the University of Tübingen hosts an international conference on „Human Nature and Self-Design“ from July 30th till August 1st 2009. The conference spans a wide spectrum of aspects about human nature and its capabilities for self-design, starting with the discussion of anthropological facets and ending with the embedding of modern and future biotechniques in an ethical analysis. The first evening of the conference will be dedicated to an opening lecture which gives an overview about philosophical-anthropological theories as well as their normative implications. Thus, it is setting the frame for the next two days of the conference. The second day of the conference provides a conceptual and theoretical basis for the discussion of anthropological questions. It introduces “Human Nature” as a controversial term and explores its meanings in the various disciplinary approaches to anthropology. It deals with the definition of “Naturalness” and “Artificiality” and with the question of how these terms serve as important benchmarks and demarcation lines for ethical evaluation. Finally, positions will be addressed that challenge the perception of humanity as creations crowning glory and reflect our role in nature in new ways. The last day is dedicated to applications of human self-design. Current possibilities and future trends will first be investigated from a scientific perspective to build a basis for discussion. Not only neurotechnical methods, e.g. brain-computer-interfaces, but also neurostimulation or psychopharmacological enhancements are introduced. Genetic interventions, e.g. germline therapy, are addressed as well. In addition, body-modifications which already existed for a long time, like cutting, branding or tattooing are taken into account. Established with a common scientific background, it will be possible to discuss those methods regarding their ethical implications. The goal of the conference is to reconsider modern concepts of human nature as broadly as possible. A special focus lies on the disclosure and discussion of normative implications of anthropological debates. |
| Organizer: | Interfakultäres Zentrum für Ethik in den Wissenschaften (IZEW) |
| Contact: | Address: Tagungsbüro "Human Nature and Self-Design" Interfakultäres Zentrum für Ethik in den Wissenschaften (IZEW) Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen Wilhelmstraße 19 72074 Tübingen Tel: +49 - (0)7071 - 2 97 75 55 Fax: +49 - (0)7071 - 29 52 55 Email: hnsd@izew.uni-tuebingen.de |
| Webpage: | http://www.izew.uni-tuebingen.de/kolleg/tagung_hnsd09/index.html |
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