---

Panel 2: The Present- The second faculty panel of the SFR Co-Curricular initiative met in the Terrace Room B on October 16, 200. The panel was moderated by Elizabeth Woodams ('03) and Amanda Waxman ('03). Panelists were Kent Dunlap (Biology), Hebe Guardiola-Diaz (Biology), and Nihal de Lanerolle (Chaplin).

The questions involved in our exploration of Scientific Freedom and Responsibility areas issues that we have dealt with in the past, and are ones that we still face in the present. During the course of this panel, we looked at how corporations effect research in the United States and worldwide, how biological patenting works, and its moral implications, as well as a perspective on our present understanding of consciousness, and how it impacts our morality.

With many of the "newsworthy" stories on biotechnology, such as the recent announcement of the Complete Human Genome, many of the issues discussed on this panel are extraordinarily timely. As we begin to unravel the very fabric of our biology, we must look at how this will effect the fabric of our own society.

-Guided Explorations:

Patenting Genetic Material

 

-----> Exploration 1

Source:

 

After reading Exploration 1, look as some of the international policy and ideas about intellectual property. Are human beings being put before or after corporate interests?

---->The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Official position on intellectual property rights.

---->Universal Declaration of Human Rights- United Nations put forth these rights as the rights of any human being in 1948, and is seen as the "gold standard" of International Human Rights Today. Article 27 specifically pertains to scientific advances and members of society.

Research Funding and Academics: A Conflict of Interest

----> Exploration 2

Source:

Now that you have read about funding and conflict of interest, perhaps the federal government can be a place that could help relive conflict of interest by providing funding without corporate interest. Links to appropriate United States House of Representatives committees follow:

----> House Committee on Science- Majority

----> House Committee on Science- Minority Warning! Extremely poor website design.

Consciousness: The Core of Responsibility and Freedom

The understanding of consciousness in an age of coming to understand our own minds, is still an issue that we grapple with. While major advances further our understanding of consciousness, theories and controversy still seem to dominate the field. Since the brain dictates a large portion of who we are and how we interact with our world and our society, understanding and quantifying our own cognitive processes will be as much a scientific pursuit as it will be a moral and philosophical one. Links follow that specifically explore this topic.

----> Proposal for an SFR-style Program at the University of Western Australia addressing these issues.

----> Neuroscience and Religion: An inevitable collision between two fields. What will neurological explorations of theology and spirituality reveal?

----> A List of Publications from various authors, tabulated by a professor at the University College of London on these subjects.

-Other Links to Explore:

The issues that face us today, are ones that will continue to face us tomorrow. While keeping the fundamental questions of our exploration in mind, we can find multitudes of new and equally as engaging questions. As technology and science continues to grow, and new things are dreamed up daily, we must constantly be ready to deal with the moral and societal implications of our dreams. Following are links to some more resources on topics discussed in this Panel.

----> American Journal of Bioethics Online- A link provided by Dr. Guardiola-Diaz. A wonderful collection of information on the topic of : "Who owns life?".

----> Yahoo! Directory on The Brain. A wonderful set of links collected from various spots around the internet looking at the brain. A great place to start your questioning!

----> National Bioethics Advisory Commission An advisory organization on bioethics, who's charter expired in October, 2001. Relevant issues and news may still be found on the site!