Bioethics: Are biologists opening Pandora’s box?

The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion invites you to a fascinating talk on the entanglements of bioethics.

The talk will be followed by a Q&A session. A free drinks reception will also be held after the event in the Old Library, Emmanuel College.

There have been many dramatic advances in the biological sciences in the past 20 years, including the ability to modify our own human genome and new ways to treat diseases and even generate artificial life. At first sight, many of these applications seem beneficial and might enable cures for genetically inherited diseases by eliminating defective genes from future generations. These seem like exciting prospects, but they raise questions about what is ‘normal’. Other advances might enable us to eliminate organisms that spread diseases, to restore damaged environments or to revive species that have become extinct. All of these seem like laudable aims, but they may come with unintended consequences. Some other scientific questions are fascinating, but are best left unanswered – where should we stop? We need to consider these things in advance, because today’s science fiction soon becomes tomorrow’s science fact. These issues raise questions about what it means to be human, what things we should value and how we can live virtuous lives.

Professor Keith Fox served for 6 years as Associate Director and then Director of the Faraday Institute until September 2021. In 2022, Keith was Interim Research Director at the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion in Cambridge, and Emeritus Professor of Biochemistry at Southampton University. His research interests concern DNA structure and its recognition, and his scientific work has been published in over 200 papers and articles. He was Senior Executive Editor of Nucleic Acids Research 2008–2021.

Book online at: https://faraday.institute/cambridgefestival