A Lecture by Julian Savulescu Description Increasingly, knowledge from biology and neuroscience allows us to identify biological states that are predictive but not determinative of human behavior in certain situations. These are called biomarkers of behavior. Looking at MAOA, a gene variant linked to increased criminal behavior in those who were maltreated as children, Professor…
Science, Policy, and Ethics Description Synthetic biology, “which aims to apply standardized engineering techniques to biology and thereby create organisms or biological systems with novel or specialized functions to address countless needs,”* offers the potential for tremendous benefit, alongside a range of possible risks. How should these benefits and risks be balanced, from a scientific,…
The Promise and Perils of Brain Imaging in Disorders of Consciousness Event Description Modern neuroimaging technology such as functional MRI can now sometimes detect conscious awareness in patients who otherwise appear unconscious. Such a finding may or may not have major implications for how we treat patients with disordered consciousness (e.g. coma, the vegetative state,…
Promises and Perils of Adolescent Neuroscience and Law Read the Harvard Crimson‘s summary of the event! Description The neuroscience of adolescent brain development has had increasing impact on American jurisprudence. The U.S. Supreme Court relied on this neuroscience in Roper v. Simmons (2005) in barring execution for capital crimes committed as a juvenile and in…
A Neuroethics Seminar Series Event All modern surgical techniques were once new, so the ethics of surgical innovation is not a new topic. But as our understanding of the brain advances, so does our ability to surgically treat disorders such as epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and possibly even depression. Increasingly, we must consider whether innovation in…
How Neuroimaging Helps Law Re-envision Pain Description Can brain imaging be a “pain-o-meter” that tells courts when a person is in pain? Can fMRI help us discern whether intractable chronic pain is “all in your head” or all in the brain – or will it require us to reconsider that distinction? Leading neuroscientists, legal scholars,…
Law, Religion, and Health in America Join the conversation on Twitter! @PetrieFlom #lawreligionhealth And check out many of the speakers’ slide presentations below! Conference Description Religion and medicine have historically gone hand in hand, but increasingly have come into conflict in the U.S. as health care has become both more secular and more heavily regulated….
What Is Caesar’s, What Is God’s? Couldn’t join us in person? Join the conversation on Twitter! @PetrieFlom #lawreligionhealth Pre-Conference Session As prelude to the 2015 Petrie-Flom Center Annual Conference, “Law, Religion, and Health in America,” this pre-conference session examined the role of religion in the American public sphere. Our expert panel discussed the nature of…
A lecture by Neil Flanzraich Neil Flanzraich, Chairman and CEO of Cantex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., discussed the balance between speed and safety in FDA’s regulation of pharmaceutical products. Topics included how FDA’s approach has ebbed and flowed over time, the various tools FDA has introduced to reach this balance, and the potential impact of FDA’s various…
What’s the Brain Got to Do with It? Law – particularly criminal law – is infused with moral judgment and calls upon prosecutors, judges, and and jurors to make morally-informed decisions. But where does morality come from? How do we “do” moral decision-making? Eexperimental philosopher and neuroscientist Fiery Cushman delivered a fascinating and provocative discussion…
