Publication of Neurobioethics group

The Italian journal 21mo Secolo , in collaboration with the Master in Science and Faith of Regina Apostolorum university, published the 10th special issue ofScience and Faithdedicated to Neurobioethics, with contributions from some of the members of Neurobioethics group.

Contributors to this issue include: Alberto Carrara, Riccardo Carrara , Paola Ciadamidaro, Marco Forghieri, Alberto García, Adriana Gini, Steven Laureys, Maria Addolorata Mangione, Zamira Veronika Montiel Boehringer, Michael Pope, Rafael Pascual, Eleanor Picerni, Maria Luisa Clean, Andrea Soddu, and Mario Stanziano.

We read from the editorial that, “This special issue dedicated to Neurobioethics is the result of personal, original, and mature teamwork where each of the authors–members of the group for study and research on Neurobioethics–participated with his or her own expertise, experience, specialty, dedication and endless passion!”

Index of articles published in this number:

  • Adriana Gini, Rafael Pascual, and Alberto García, A challenge from Neurobioetica the person and his brain at the center of the disciplines, p. 2
  • Maria Addororata Mangione, Methodological requirements of Neurobioethics: some reflections, p. 5
  • Marco Forghieri, The influence of neuroscience in contemporary society: some pros and cons, p. 11
  • Alberto Carrara and Riccardo Carrara, Michael S. Gazzaniga: neuro-anthropologist of contemporary cognitive neuroscience, p. 16
  • Zamira Veronika Montiel Boehringer, Consciousness and neuroscience: scientific or philosophical dualism?, p. 23
  • Mario Stanziano, Michael Pope, Steven Laureys, and Andrea Soddu, Tracing the boundaries of consciousness “functionals”: current and potential contributions of neuro imageries, p. 29
  • Paola Ciadamidaro, Empathy and the doctor-patient relationship in the third millennium: therapeutic alliance of Edith Stein, p. 34
  • Maria Luisa Pulita, Identity and drug addiction: the contribution of neuroscience and human sciences, p. 38
  • Eleonora Picerni, The neurobiological correlates of attachment: meeting point between neuroscience and psychology, p. 44

International Bioethics Committee Releases Video on New Risks of Discrimination in Biomedicine

In preparation for the 20th session of the International Bioethics Committee in Seoul (Korea) this June 19th to 21st, 2013, UNESCO has released a short film on the new risks of discrimination in the field of biomedicine.

The diverse themes of biobanks, access to medicinal drugs, transplant and organ trafficking, neuroscience, HIV/AIDS and nanotechnologies are considered in light of the principle of non-discrimination and non-stigmatization as enumerated in Article 11 of the 2005 Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights.  The IBC will likely publish a report on these issues at the conclusion of its upcoming meeting.

The UNESCO Chair of Bioethics and Human Rights founded in 2009 at University of Europe in Rome is honored to join 10 other UNESCO chairs of bioethics in the celebration of 20 years of bioethics at UNESCO.

Click here to watch the video.

TEDx on Religious Freedom Today

On April 19, 2013, UNESCO Fellow Fr. Joseph Tham attended the TEDx ViaDellaConcilliazione event on Relgious Freedom Today.  Among the many interesting speakers who presented their ideas, there were sessions on “Networks of Common Ground,” “Forgiveness and Reconciliation,” and “Living Together.”  All these sessions are very much related to the project of the UNESCO Chair on Multiculturalism, Bioethics and Religion.

There was also a session on Beauty which addresses the role of the asthetic dimension in today’s world of images.  This is very consonant with the Bioethics Art project of the Chair.

We would like to present one of the speakers, Brian Grim from the Pew Research Centre’s Forum on Rleigion and Public Life in Washington DC, who gave an excellent presentation on religious freedom in the world and especially in the Islamic countries.http://youtu.be/cQvDUTOOkiI