Someone asked me what philosophy is. I answered by trying to pinpoint the most frequently used word when one philosophizes. What does a philosopher most often say? I believe he or she most often says, “But…”: “But is that really true?” “But shouldn’t then…?” “But can’t one imagine that…?” “But how can anyone know such […]
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The Ethics Blog recommends three important conferences this autumn: 1. Genomics for Healthcare and Socio-Economic Progress This conference is organized by the Wales Gene Park. It discusses the economic potential of genomics in, for example, healthcare, agriculture and bio-energy. When? 13-14 September 2012 Where? Radisson Blu Hotel, Cardiff Website? Here 2. HandsOn: Biobanks This interactive conference […]
Continue readingOur long childhood and dependence on parental care seem to leave no doubt about it: we are not born as humans, we become human. I want to highlight a particularly tempting metaphor for this process of “becoming human” – the metaphor of: “Order out of chaos.” According to this metaphor, human infancy is abundantly rich […]
Continue readingI’m reading a Scientific American Guest Blog, on the ethics of future-use DNA sampling. Donating DNA to research is described as a more lasting donation than donating organs or embryos: DNA is information and information can last longer. That donating DNA is such a lasting donation seems to imply that the future use to which […]
Continue readingA child begins to speak; to say that it is hungry, or does not want to sleep. Where was the child’s language hiding before it began to speak? Did the child invent it? Certainly not, experts on language development would insist. A child cannot create language. Language exists before the child starts to speak. All […]
Continue readingOur plans for the interactive part of the conference program for HandsOn: Biobanks, in Uppsala 20-21 September 2012, are taking shape. This part of the program is called “the Route.” During coffee and lunch breaks, participants can walk through an interactive exhibition illustrating the process of informed consent, data and sample sharing, and new legislation. Within the […]
Continue readingA certain form of ethical thinking would like to draw absolute limits to human activity. The limits are often said to be natural: nature is replacing God as ultimate moral authority. Nature is what we believe we still can believe in, when we no longer believe in God. God thus moves into the human embryo. […]
Continue readingPatients seem more willing to participate in biobank research than the general public. A possible explanation is the doctor-patient relationship. Patients’ trust in health care professionals might help doctors to recruit them as research participants, perhaps making the task too easy. That trust in doctors can induce a willingness to participate in research seems threatening […]
Continue readingOne of my colleagues here at CRB, Kathinka Evers, recently returned from Barcelona, where she participated in the lecture series, The Origins of the Human Mind: PS: Why did you participate in this series? KE: I was invited by the Centre for Contemporary Culture to present the rise of neuroethics and my views on informed […]
Continue readingWhat do researchers owe participants in biobank research? One answer is that researchers should share relevant incidental findings about participants with these helpful individuals. Returning such information could support a sense of partnership and acknowledge participants’ extremely valuable contribution to research. I’m doubtful about this answer, however. I’m inclined to think that return of information […]
Continue readingTHE ETHICS BLOG
A research blog from the Centre for Research Ethics & Bioethics (CRB)
We write for researchers, healthcare staff, officials, politicians, patient organisations and anyone interested in ethics.
We comment on the research ethics and bioethics debate and discuss our own research. We address issues from current debates in the research community and in the press.
MEET THE EDITOR
Pär Segerdahl is editor of the Ethics Blog and Associate Professor of Philosophy at the Centre for Research Ethics & Bioethics.