"Enhancing Human Capacities: Ethics, Regulation and European Policy"

Workshop “Human Enhancement cognitive and physical…what’s possible and what’s reasonable to do?” Organised by Stockholm Bioethics Centre and Oxford Uehiro Centre For Practical Ethics Recent developments within the field of genetics give us reason to expect that in the future we will be able to cure people suffering from serious pathological states and even to prevent disease. This scenario however is not totally unproblematic. Some people predict that with increased capacity to cure, the possibility will follow of enhancing human capacities beyond what has hitherto been considered as species-normal. Should we fear such a development or should we welcome it? What is possible and what pertains to the realm of science-fiction regarding the new genetics? And what are the risks of implementing it? Is it possible to draw a non-arbitrary distinction between therapy and enhancement? What sort of genetic interventions should be publicly financed? Is the new genetic technology a threat to personal autonomy? Are technologically induced enhancements compatible with the authenticity of our individual projects? Could there be a moral obligation to correct injustices produced by the genetic lottery, i.e., in peoples natural endowments and in that case could that obligation extend to the world of professional sports? How should the goals of sports medicine be viewed from the perspective of rationing scarce health care resources? Are enhancements (cognitive and physical) gender-biased? Or could the new genetic be an effective and appropriate tool to further gender equality, for instance by increasing women’s reproductive freedom In this project leading natural scientists and bio-ethicists scrutinize all these difficult scientific and ethical questions related to the irruption of the new genetics, both in medical care and in our daily lives. As part of the /Sixth Framework Programme of the European Union - “Deepening understanding in Ethical Issues”/, the results produced by this international cooperation between different European universities will crystallize in policy directives for the member States of the European Union. Speakers: John Harris (University of Manchester), Emma Rich (Loughborough University), Julian Savulescu (University of Oxford), Torbjörn Tännsjö (Stockholm University), Hidde Haisma (), Lars Ärhlund Richter (Karolinska Institute), Ingmar Persson (Göteborg University), Sören Holm (Cardiff University), Nick Boström (Oxford University), Sigmund Loland (The Norwegian School of Sport Science), Daniela Cutas (University of Manchester), Christian Munthe (Göteborg University) and a number of distinguished international researchers and scholars. Project coordinator: Ruud ter Meulen (Centre for Ethics in Medicine, Bristol University) Date: 27th , 28th 29th and 30th March. For more information, see http://www.enhanceproject.org/, www.philosophy.su.se/sbc2.htm and www.su.se, or contact claudio.tamburrini@philosophy.su.se (+46 (0)73 787 52 50). Conference venue: Stockholm University, Conference hall F 11 and Lecture Hall Bergsmannen (Aula Magna). Conference sessions are open for the public and entrance is free. This conference is supported by /The Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Foundation/ Riksbankens Jubileumsfond, the /Swedish Research Council for the Humanities/ (Vetenskapsrådet för Humaniora) and the /Sixth Framework Programme of the European Union/ “Deepening understanding in Ethical Issues”.