AN OPEN CONFERENCE of the SCIENTIFIC & MEDICAL NETWORK with the GLOBAL  ACADEMY and THE ACADEMY FOR FUTURE SCIENCE, May 12th 2001,London

"Science can tell you what's possible, but it certainly can't tell you  what's desirable," Ian G. Barbour, Physicist and Theologian

Spectacular advances in molecular genetics are forcing humankind to face the  most challenging question in its history: are we simply an accident of  biochemistry or self-determining spiritual entities? Fundmental questions as  to who we are and who we want to become are assuming God-like proportions.

Does understanding our DNA bring us any closer to Socrates admonition to  'Know thyself?'. And are we wise enough to mould ourselves to the extent  that new technology may allow?

This international conference brings together distinguished speakers from the  four fields of biology, medical genetics, complementary medicine and  theology/ethics. It will explore diverse models of the human being and ask if  their integration might lead to an understanding that does justice to all  levels of analysis and types of human experience. The conference will also  consider the philosophical and ethical implications arising from these models.

"Man did not weave the web of life - he is merely a strand in it.
Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself." Chief Seattle

This extraordinary public conference is the outcome of a collaboration  initiated at the State of the World Forum and Future Visions meetings (the  latter sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation and the International Space  Sciences Organisation) in New York in September 2000.  At that meeting the  Global Academy sponsored a number of dialogues on the spiritual, medical and  social implications of the human genome project. All those attending are  invited to join what can only be considered the most important issue to be  debated in human history.

Imperial College, Exhibition Road, London SW7, Saturday 12th May 2001 Booking enquiries and conference timetable: Tel: 01333 340490  www.scimednet.org

For media enquiries, speaker interviews, etc. please contact Jayne Warren on:  (0044) 0207 371 2999 E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

FACTFILE

1. In January 2001,the House of Lords voted to allow changes to the  regulations governing research to allow so-called "therapeutic" cloning of  human embryos. It was argued that research could help in the battle to  conquer Parkinson's disease, cancers, strokes, heart disease and other  serious conditions.

2. Passionate opposition to the move came from religious leaders worldwide -  the Dalai Lama, the Pope, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Roman Catholic  archbishops of Glasgow and Westminster, the Chief Rabbi and the President of  the Muslim College - who argued that: "These complex questions deserve to be  examined in far greater detail than a brief parliamentary debate on an  unamendable order would permit. We would therefore strongly urge the referral  of these matters to a select committee of your Lordships House where evidence  may be weighed in a calm and sober manner."

3. Scientists predict that the first human trials, probably for a brain  disease like Parkinson's, could take place in the next three years or so,  with a potential clinical application  in a five to seven-year period. 4. January 17th 2001, Arthur Caplan, Director of the Center for Bioethics at  the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center stated: ‘The antidote to the  blind application of genetic engineering is to start talking about what should and should not be allowed, who will pay and what standards ought to  apply  to those who want to promote and sell services that promise to make  utopian  children. The proper response is not legislation to stop the mad  scientists  but a public debate that will teach us how best to control ourselves’.

5. Lord Alton questioned the rightness of treating the human embryo as "just  another accessory to be created, bartered, frozen or destroyed" adding:  "Since 1990, when miracle cures were promised for 4,000 inherited  diseases,  between 300,000 and half a million human embryos have been destroyed or  experimented upon. There have been no cures, but our willingness to walk this  road has paved the way for more and more demand."  

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Professor Brian Goodwin

Professor Brian Goodwin, PhD is Emeritus Professor of Biology at the Open  University and currently directs the MSc in Holistic Science at Schumacher  College. He is author of How the Leopard Changed its Spots, which proposes an  alternative to Neo-Darwinism based on the concept of organisms as  self-organising, transforming wholes. He is a Vice-President of the  Scientific and Medical Network.

Dr. William Hurlbut

Dr. William Hurlbut, MD is a physician and lecturer in the Program in  Human  Biology at Stanford University, teaching courses in biomedical ethics,  including one entitled Adam 2000: Images of Human Life in Biomedical  Technology. He completed post-doctoral studies in theology and medical ethics  and works with the Center for International Security and Cooperation on a  project formulating policy on chemical and biological warfare and with  NASA  on projects in astrobiology.

Dr. James J. Hurtak

Dr. James J. Hurtak,  PhD, is President of the Academy for Future Science. He  is a social scientist and futurist with two doctorates who studied at the  Universities of California and Minnesota. His main concern is the  interface  between science, religion and the environment. He was a presenter at the  recent Parliament of World Religions (1999) in Cape Town.

Dr. Joe Jacobs

Dr. Joe Jacobs MD, MBA received his Medical degree from Yale University  and  his MBA from the Wharton School of Business. He served as Director of the  Office of Alternative Medicine, National Institutes of Health. He has  authored and/or contributed to eight books including, Cancer: Principles and  Practice of Oncology; Medical Futility and the Evaluation of Life Sustaining  Interventions and Community Oriented Primary Care: From Principles to Practice.

Dr. Kim Jobst

Dr. Kim Jobst, MD is a former consultant at Glasgow Homoeopathic Hospital and  is Visiting Professor of Complementary Medicine at Oxford Brookes University.  He is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Alternative and Complementary  Medicine.

Rev. John Maxwell Kerr

Rev. John Maxwell Kerr teaches chemistry, divinity and philosophy at  Winchester College and lectures on the Oxford University Summer School about  the implications of human genetics research. He is a former Lecturer in  Chemical Engineering, University of Nottingham, Research Fellow of Merton  College, Oxford,  and Warden of the Society for Ordained  Scientists.

Dr. Robert Lanza

Dr. Robert Lanza MD is Vice President of Medical and Scientific  development  at Advance Cell Technology. He has over 200 publications, including  Principles of Tissue Engineering, Yearbook of Cell and Tissue  Transplantation, One World: the Health and Survival of the Human Species  in  the 21st century and Xeno: The Promise of Transplanting Animal Organs into  Humans.  He has worked closely with Jonas Salk (the Salk Institute),  Gerald  Edelman (Rockefeller University) and Richard Hynes (Center for Cancer  Research at MIT). He has co-authored a series of papers with Christian  Barnard MD and BF Skinner PhD.

Dr. Pauline Rudd

Dr. Pauline Rudd, PhD is a University Research Lecturer in the  Glycobiology  Institute of the University of Oxford, where she works in many different  areas where glycoproteins play a significant role. She was recently on  sabbatical at the Scripps Research Institute in California and is a Visiting  Professor at Shanghai Medical University. She is also an Associate of the Community of St. Mary the Virgin, Oxfordshire and has participated in many  science and religion meetings.

THE SCIENTIFIC AND MEDICAL NETWORK

The Scientific and Medical Network is an informal international group  consisting mainly of qualified scientists and doctors, together with  psychologists, engineers, philosophers, therapists and many other  professionals. The aim of the Network is to deepen understanding in science,  medicine and education by fostering both rational analysis and intuitive  insights. The Network was founded in 1973 and currently has more than  2,000

Members in over 50 countries.  It questions the assumptions of  contemporary  scientific and medical thinking, so often limited by exclusively  materialistic reasoning. Scientific and Medical Network, Lake House, Ockley,  Nr. Dorking, Surrey RH5 5NS Tel: 01306 710072. Web: www.scimednet.org  

THE GLOBAL ACADEMY

The Global Academy is dedicated to building open, sustained dialogue as a  vehicle to create truly humane societies that are economically successful,  environmentally sound, technologically and socially responsible. Established  under the auspices and support of The Link Foundation by an international  group of authors, scientists, business leaders, social forecasters and  government leaders, the Academy convenes public forums throughout the  Americas and Europe bringing together influential leaders from all sectors of  society to dialogue about compelling issues of our time. The Link Foundation  is incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation set up for exclusively  charitable and educational purposes. www.thelinkfoundation.org  

ACADEMY FOR FUTURE SCIENCE

The Academy for Future Science is an international non-profit organisation  operating in more than 12 countries since its inception in 1973. Its charter  covers the areas of archaeology, anthropology, environment and remote  sensing, computers and physics, as well as studies in consciousness and  comparative religion. Its work has been represented at the Parliament of the  World's Religions (1999), The Millennium Peace Summit of World Religious  Leaders (2000), and at many university conferences on the dialogue of science  and religion. Its members have been responsible for the updating of  medical  curriculum at universities in South Africa and the monitoring of critical  environmental areas in Brazil.