CNS News

The Institute of Medicine's Neuroscience Forum brings together leading researchers, policymakers and stakeholders to identify and address important new issues concerning the brain.  Penn's own Jonathan Moreno, the David and Lyn Silfen University Professor of Medical Ethics and the History and Sociology of Science, has been tapped to bring his expertise on neuroscience and society to this august group.

More at: http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3740/35684.aspx

Philosophy professor Susan L. Schneider has just published Science Fiction and Philosophy (Wiley-Blackwell, 2009), a book of readings by herself and others that examine classic science fiction stories as thought experiments that address philosophical issues such as the nature of persons, minds and brains, transhumanism, and the ethics of artificial intelligence and neuroscience.

Penn hosted the first meeting of Erik Parens’ and Josie Johnston’s Dana-funded project on the 4th through 6th of this month. It was a lively three days, with neuroscientists, statisticians, philosophers, lawyers and journalists exploring the vast and sometimes bumpy landscape of issues concerning the way scientists and laypeople interpret brain images.

Two sociologists from the LSE’s BIOS Centre and Neuroscience & Society Network visited Penn this month. Professor Nikolas Rose, Director of the BIOS Centre and author of “Neurochemical Selves,” came to Penn for the day to discuss neuroethical issues in psychopharmacology. Scott Vrecko also returned for the occasion. Along with Jonathan Moreno, John Tresch and Martha Farah, they participated in a morning panel discussion attended by the Penn community, followed by an afternoon of continued informal discussion.

We received over 80 applications for our intensive summer institute by the application deadline this month. The applicants are an impressive group of mostly university faculty and professionals, along with some graduate students. They come from the social sciences, humanities, business, law, journalism and theology.