UNESCO Chair Fellows publishes entry in Encyclopedia of Global Bioethics

UNESCO Chair Fellow Dominique Monlezun and Director Alberto Garcia recently co-authored the “casuistry” entry of the Springer reference work Encyclopedia of Global Bioethics. Below is an abstract of his entry and a link to further information.

 

Abstract:  Casuistry in its modern form is an applied ethics approach that uses case-based reasoning to achieve ethical convergence from pluralistic stakeholders in the form of expert opinions in paradigm cases. The general but variant ethical decisions can be revised with later cases. This anti-theory has emerged in bioethics as one of the most influential alternative approaches to traditional ethics theories and religious ethics. Drawing from its classical form in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, modern casuistry was developed to answer the need in 1960s’ emerging bioethics for providing ethical decisions and policies for a secular, diverse population. Casuistry in a global context is analyzed for its own strengths and weaknesses and then those facets on an international stage particularly from the context of market pressures and pluralism.

 

For more information, visit: Springer.com 

Shared Cultures for Shared Security

By Michael Baggot

Chairman of the UNESCO Chair, Alberto García, participated in “The Academic Forum of UNESCO Chairs on Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue” in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan on May 19-20. The event took place under the framework of the third World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue “Shared Cultures for Shared Security.” García’s participation recalls the UNESCO Chair’s commitment to fostering multicultural and interreligious dialogue as one of its chief areas of interest.

The event’s main goal was presented as follows:

A major aim of the Academic Forum is to launch a state-of-the-art assessment of ongoing research in the area of interreligious and intercultural dialogue. The Forum will seek to establish closer linkages between research and policy-making and, in particular, develop mechanisms for a dynamic and effective articulation between the UNESCO Chairs/Network and the Baku WFID.

The Academic Forum is intended to strengthen the coordination and cooperation for intercultural understanding and sustainable development. It will discuss key steps and actions to build an effective contribution of UNESCO Chairs to the implementation of the Action Plan for the International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures (2013-2022).

 

A full explanation of the event can be read here.

Chair Director participates in Council of Europe congress on emerging technologies

By Michael Baggot

UNESCO Chair Director Alberto Garcia participated in international conference “Emerging Technologies and Human Rights” on May 4-5, 2015. The event was organized under the auspices of the Belgian Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France.

Garcia’s presence corresponds to the Chair’s interest in the bioethical implications of nanotechnological advances. For instance, technological developments allow neurosurgeons to diagnosis and treat symptoms of Parkinson disease. While the medical benefits of such procedures are laudable, the methods used raise important questions regarding the permissibility of intrusive techniques with the potential of psychological alternation. Further questions arise regarding the decree to which such technologies could affect free will, the rights to information gathered through such procedures, and the need to craft new biomedical legislation capable of addressing rapid chances.

Studies by the Rathenau Instituut and the Center for the Study of Sciences and Humanities of the Bergen University in Norway were the chief documents used to guide discussion. A schedule of the event is found below.

 

OPENING SESSION

Ms Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe

– Representative of Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)

M. Dirk van Eeckhout, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belgium to the Council of Europe

 

9.30 – 11.00 SESSION 1 – INTRODUCTION

Chair: Dr Anne Forus, Chair of the Preparatory Group for the Conference

 Reminder about objectives and approach of the Conference

 

Dr Anne Forus, Chair of the Preparatory Group for the Conference

Driving force for developments

 

Prof. Andy Stirling (United Kingdom), Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex

 Presentation of the background studies

o From Bio to NBIC convergence – From Medical Practice to Daily Life

 

Dr Rinie van Est and Dr Dirk Stemerding (Netherlands), Rathenau Instituut

o Report on ethical issues raised by emerging sciences and technologies

 

Prof. Roger Strand and Prof. Matthias Kaiser (Norway), Center for the Study of Sciences and Humanities, Bergen University

Questions and clarification

11.00 – 11.30 BREAK

11.30 – 13.00 SESSION 2 – TECHNOLOGY, INTERVENTION AND CONTROL OF INDIVIDUALS (Rapporteur: Dr Michael Fuchs, Germany)

Chairs: Prof. …

Prof. …

Introductory presentation: what is at stake?

 

Prof. …

Ethical and societal perspectives

 

Prof. Jean-Noël Missa (Belgium), Co-director of the Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Bioethics, Université libre de Bruxelles, member of the Belgium National Consultative Committee of Bioethics

Human rights challenges

 

Prof. Dominique Thouvenin (France), Chair “Health Law and Ethics” Research Center “Law, Science and Technology,” Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne

Discussion

13.00 – 14.30 LUNCH BREAK

 

14.30 – 16.30 SESSION 3 – DATA COLLECTING AND PROCESSING – NEW DIMENSIONS

(Rapporteur: Mr Hugh Whittall, United Kingdom ; Mr Gérard Lommel, Bureau of T-PD)

Chairs: Prof. Damir Marjanović (Bosnia and Herzegovina), University of Sarajevo

Prof. Mariachiara Tallacchini (Italy), Università Cattolica SC

Introductory presentation: what is at stake?

 

Dr Péter Kimpián (Hungary), Head of International Affairs and Public Relations Department, Hungarian Authority for Data Protection and Freedom of Information

Ethical and societal perspectives

 

Prof. Dr. Peter Dabrock (Germany), Chair of Systematic Theology (Ethics) at the Department of Theology, University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Member of the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (EGE)

Human rights challenges

 

Prof. Yann Joly (Canada), Research Director, Centre of Genomics and Policy, McGill University, Montreal

Discussion

16.00 – 16.30 BREAK

16.30 – 18.00 SESSION 4 – EQUITY OF ACCESS (Rapporteur: Prof. Laura Palazzani, Italy)

Chairs: Ms Liliane Maury Pasquier (Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe), Chair of the Sub-Committee on Public Health of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)

Prof. Pavel Tishchenko (Russian Federation), Russian Academy of sciences

Introductory presentation: what is at stake?

 

Prof. Jan Helge Solbakk (Norway) Institute of Health and Society, Centre for Medical Ethics, Faculty of medicine, Oslo

Ethical and societal perspectives

 

Prof. Stefano Semplici, Chair of the International Bioethics Committee of UNESCO

Human rights challenges

 

Prof. Yolanda Maria Gomez Sanchez (Spain), Professor of Constitutional Law National University for distance learning, Madrid

Discussion

18.00 End of Day 1

 

5 MAY 2015

9.00 – 10.30 SESSION 5 – GOVERNANCE (Rapporteur: Dr André Gazsó, Institute of Technology Assessment, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Austria)

Chairs: Prof. Stefano Semplici, Chair of the International Bioethics Committee of UNESCO

Prof. Beatrice Ioan, Vice Chair of DH-BIO

 Introductory presentation:

 

Prof. Sheila Jasanoff (USA), Pforzheimer Professor of Science and Technology Studies, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University

 Are existing governance systems challenged by emerging technologies and their convergence?

 

Prof. Herman Nys (Belgium), Director of the Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law, Leuven University, Member of the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies

 How and who can respond: priority actions and possible models?

 

Prof. Sheila Jasanoff (USA) and Prof. Herman Nys (Belgium)

Discussion

10.30 – 11.30 ROUND TABLE: Priority human rights challenges arising from emerging technologies

Participants: Prof. Dr. Peter Dabrock (Germany), Prof. Yolanda Maria Gomez Sanchez (Spain), Prof. Sheila Jasanoff (USA), Prof. Yann Joly (Canada), Prof. Matthias Kaiser (Norway), Dr Péter Kimpián (Hungary), Prof. Jean-Noël Missa (Belgium), Prof. Herman Nys (Belgium), Prof. Stefano Semplici (Unesco), Prof. Jan Helge Solbakk (Norway), Dr Dirk Stemerding (Netherlands), Prof. Roger Strand (Norway), Prof. Dominique Thouvenin (France), Dr Rinie van Est (Netherlands)

Moderator: Dr Doris Wolfslehner (Austria), member of the DH-BIO Bureau

11-30 – 12.00 BREAK

12.00 – 13.00 SESSION 6 – CONCLUSIONS

Chairs: Dr Mark Bale, Chair of DH-BIO

Ms Brigitte Konz (Luxembourg), Vice-Chair of the CDDH

 Joint presentation by the rapporteurs of the sessions

 

CLOSING

– M. Jean-Yves Le Déaut (Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe), General Rapporteur on science and technology impact assessment of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)

Dr Mark Bale, Chair of the DH-BIO

13.00 End of the conference

UNESCO Chair co-organizes “Spiritual Bridges” in Rome

Spritual Bridges Round table panaroma

The UNESCO Chair in Bioethics and Human rights co-organizing “Spiritual Bridges” events in Rome from April 29 to May 4, 2015. The Chair was especially involved in two of the days’ events. First, April 29 saw the inauguration of the exhibit “Spiritual Bridges,” the presentation of the 3rd edition (2015) of the Bioethics Art Competition (www.bioethicsart.org), and a virtual presentation of 2011 and 2013 finalists’ artworks. The 2015 edition of the art competition invites artists from around the world to create a work of art (fine art or photography) about the theme “Express the Gift of Healing: Body, Mind and Spirit.” The deadline for submissions is June 30, 2015.

 

Second, on April 30 there was a round table on “Bioethics in a multicultural and inter-religious world,” in which experts from different religious and cultural traditions discussed the possibility and need of transcultural dialogue in order to foster convergence and cooperation as a contribution to better relations in society at a national and an international level. A full schedule of the event can be read here: Programma TAVOLA ROTONDA Ponti Spirituali – COMETOMYHOME

 

A video of the round table can be found online here.

 

For more information on all of the days’ events, please visit http://spiritualbridges.net/.

Locandina Spiritual Bridges-eng