International Research

*new* 1 Dec 11 World AIDS Day
1. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-15823409
2. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/01/opinion/a-decade-of-progress-on-aids.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha212

30 Nov 11  Treatment of AIDS worldwide
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15854793

Here's the bio on our guest speaker (5 Dec)
http://www.pathobiology.uc.edu/faculty/blackard.html

Genetics

*news* 15Nov11
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Geron-halting-stem-cell-apf-659028246.html?x=0&l=1

1. Technical questions?

2. Moral, ethical, legal, social concerns?  (These are commonly collectively referred to as ELSI concerns)

Love Philia (21 Nov)

Comment on

1. Love as desire

2. Love of children

3. Love of friends

4. Love of marriage-quality partner.

What can we justifiably ask of any of these others? 

Joy in Love--how to cultivate it?

v  Here’s a key passage:

Let us say the word: philia is love in all its forms when it flourishes between human beings, whenever it is not reduced to want or passion (erōs).  The word, therefore, has a narrower range than the word love (which can be used in reference to an object, animal, or god) but wider than the word friendship (which is hardly ever used with reference to the parent-child relationship) (p. 254).

v  How to maintain that passion from first love along with cultivating a mature love over time?

v  “In short, concupiscent or covetous love, though not necessarily blameworthy, is a selfish love that loves the other for its own benefit.  Benevolent love, on the other hand, is a generous love—it loves the other for the other’s benefit” (p. 262).

o   “But erōs is consumed as it is satisfied . . . ; whereas philia, in a happy couple, never ceases to intensify, deepen, and flourish” (p. 263).

Love Agape (28 Nov)

I'll post unless someone else wants to start.

Research on Animals

*new* NYTimes article 1 Dec 11
At least 5 percent of the 650 dogs used by American combat forces in Iraq and Afghanistan are struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder. http://nyti.ms/vVaoSc

Research on Chimps
this couldn't be more timely:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/15/science/chimps-days-in-research-may-be-near-an-end.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha210

*new* more on chimps in research
http://the-scientist.com/2011/11/17/illegal-breeding-at-chimp-facility/

Brianna started discussion in another section; I'm reposting here:

http://ww.scu.edu/ethics/publications/iie/v1n3/cures.html

I found this to be an interesting article applicable to today's discussion about Research on Animals. Here's my question:
Where is the line between science and curiosity? From a Utilitarian standpoint, painful/fatal research on animals should be done only to benefit the greater good. The animals are being used as a means to an end, therefore, is it ethically right?
I believe that some research should be done to help save human lives, but other experiments seem to have no other point but satisfying curiosity.

Research on Human Subjects

Current Events November

 *new* 15 Nov 11
http://www.pbs.org/programs/elusive-justice/

*new* 15 Nov 11 NYTimes' David Brooks on the difficulties of being moral
The general reaction to the Penn State atrocity has been self-righteous and dishonest. We should all take a look at our propensity to self-deceive. http://nyti.ms/soOELC

14Nov11 60 Minutes on conflicts of interest in politics
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7388130n&tag=contentBody;storyMediaBox

14Nov11www.values.com.
 What do you think about this group & website?

A new quick NIH funding system for interdisciplinary proposals:
http://the-scientist.com/2011/11/10/nsf-sans-peer-review/

*new* Love: Eros (14 Nov)

Love, Eros

Quotations and questions to prompt your discussion:

v  "We need morality only for the want of love" (p. 223) and "Act as though you loved" (p. 224) and "Love is not a command; it is an idea" (p. 224).

v  "Love may have its roots in sexuality . . . but it cannot be reduced to sexuality."

v  "Our lives--private and public, domestic and professional--have value only in proportion to the love we invest in them and find in them" (p. 223)

v  "Love, therefore, is first:  not absolutely, of course (for then it would be God), but in relation to morality, duty, and the law.  It is the alpha and omega of all virtue" (p. 226). Well, at least it isn't essential or foundational to all of them ;)

v  Is romantic love the seeking of your other half?  Do you believe that there is one true love for you?  Must you find that person to be truly happy?

v  Is romantic love an absolute, unconditional love? A permanent love? An exclusive love? (Ok, so here you CAN comment on that Kardashian wedding/divorce in the context of romantic love.)  What's the relationship of love to desire?

v  Is Eros ever satisfied?  “If love is lack, and insofar as it is, it precludes completeness by definition” (p. 235) and “if love is desire and desire is want, we can love only what we do not have and suffer from this lack. . .” (p. 240).  “If love is want, it is doomed to failure (in life) or can succeed only in death” (p. 242)

v  “Love can escape absolute want, absolute deprivation, and absolute misfortune only by bringing forth. . . that is, through the family or through creation, be it in art, politics, or science” (p. 236)

v  Concupiscent love – “loving the other person for one’s own benefit” (p. 238).  Do you know what murder ballads are?  Remind me, perhaps I’ll sing for you  (Banks of the Ohio, Butcher Boy)

v  “What sort of virtue would it be that can lead only to suffering or religion” (p. 242)

More opportunities for your thoughts on the virtues

Who wants to write a paper?  You could write a paper jointly (not all of you, although that would be funny given our discussions about authorship in science and multiple authors).  Let me know.  Also, don't forget about those other essay contests (Elie Wiesel and that service fraternity).

  Call for Papers:  Conference on the Theological Virtues     

Additional information regarding the conference series is available at www.viterbo.edu/ethics

Viterbo University, La Crosse, Wisconsin                   March 29-31, 2012

2012 Theme: HOPE

The 2012 conference is the second in a series of three conferences on the theological virtues.  We invite papers examining the meaning, history, and practical implications of the idea of hope as a virtue.  We encourage submissions from a variety of disciplinary perspectives.

Conflicts of Interest & other residual questions (by 6 Nov)

What questions do you have for Dr. Lorentz regarding conflicts of interest, authorship, misconduct, IP, mentoring, and/or industry-academia collaborations?  Please respond by Sunday evening so that I can compile the questions for Dr. Lorentz on Monday.  Thanks!

RCR: what have you learned to date?

How is this course, specifically the RCR part, working for you?  What, if anything, have you learned?  What do you want to know more about?  The focus here is on course content, rather than format.

By the way, I think I forgot to tell you that once a degree is conferred, it cannot be rescinded.  (referring to a case from a few weeks ago where a new professor was accused by a lab technician of falsifying data, and the lab books were never found).

DJ's follow-up (on pain of failing this ethics course. . . )

I can't remember all of what DJ is supposed to do for us, so feel free to jump in and give him assignments.  He does need to follow-up on:

1. More information about Monsanto
2. Corporations as moral entities