Announcement: colloquium with Guy Kahane from Oxford (http://www.philosophy.ox.ac.uk/members/research_staff/guy_kahane)

Organized by the Technical University of Delft, in collaboration with the 3TU.Centre for Ethics and Technology
Monday May 13, 3.30-5PM (Delft)

DELFT COLLOQUIUM: Normal human variation and human enhancement

ABSTRACT: In this talk I will point out several mistakes that are
commonly made in the debate about biomedical enhancement, mistakes
that are made even by some supporters of enhancement. I will
illustrate these mistakes by reference to John Harris’s recent
criticism of pharmacological moral enhancement. One upshot of the
argument I will develop is that many considerations that are presented
as powerful objections to enhancement are really strong considerations
in favor of biomedical enhancement, just in a different direction.
Another upshot is that it is unfortunate that much of the current
debate focuses on interventions that might radically transform normal
human capacities. Such interventions are unlikely to be available in
the near future, and may not even be feasible. But the enhancement
project can still have a radical impact on human life even if
biomedical enhancement operated entirely within the normal human
range.

The colloquium is free and open to all
interested persons. However, space is limited, so please contact
Neelke Doorn (N.Doorn@tudelft.nl) if you wish to attend the colloquium.