Genetics and Ethics: Different Views on the Human Condition

Sunday, February 21, 2010: 8:30 AM-11:30 AM
Room 1B (San Diego Convention Center)
Science and the religions are asking similar questions about the origin of the universe and the conditions of the human species. Both cultures are taking very different approaches. In this symposium, representatives from the fields of genetics and theology have agreed to a joint experiment and will explore these problems together. There are two aspects to this endeavor: First, can we help each other in the quest for an improved understanding of the complexities of the universe? And, second, should we join forces to communicate science and religion to a public that is ever more at a loss to grasp a rapidly changing world? All religions have to update their traditional, history-based views and accommodate the findings of modern science. Over the past 7 years, the organizers of this symposium have held joint lectures on “genetics and ethics.” These lectures were received with great interest by students of different fields and age. This symposium will help focus on a crucial aspect of rendering science, in particular, the new genetics and its medical applications, more acceptable to the bewildered public. Stem cell research, organ transplants, gene therapy, reproductive medicine, patient-tailored medications, genetic medicine, and others will challenge all of us to find highly individualized answers. The latest developments in science will have to be rendered comprehensible for everyone.
Organizer:
Walter Doerfler, University of Cologne
Co-Organizer:
Hans G. Ulrich, Erlangen University
Speakers:
Uta Francke, Stanford University School of Medicine
The Genome as Personal Property: Using, Sharing, and Protecting the Information
Art Petronis, The Krembil Family Epigenetics Laboratory
Epigenetics: Insights into the Molecular Mechanisms of Abnormal and Normal Behavior
Hans G. Ulrich, Erlangen University
Genetics and the Hermeneutics of the Human Condition
Walter Doerfler, University of Cologne
Complexities in Biology: Predictions in Medicine
Adin Steinsaltz, Israel Institute for Talmudic Publications
Too Much Knowledge
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