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News
News: June/July 2002
Religious Fervour in Derby • Cloned Rabbits Begin to Breed • Growing Human Organs for Fun and Profit • Happy Philosophy Day!
Postmodern or What?
A project close to the heart of the Prince of Wales will reach fruition next year when a multi-faith centre opens at Derby University. The ‘religious village’ will house places of worship for every major religion under one roof, as well as providing facilities for research and education. The ambitious £2.9 million project is the first of its kind in Britain.
Ironically, Derby University will no longer be offering a religious studies degree course in future owing to a growing lack of interest; a situation which is not peculiar to Derby, according to a university spokesman.
Access to Philosophy
Britain’s first Access to Philosophy programme is being offered from September 2002 at the Mary Ward Centre in London. Access courses are a ladder to university education for adult learners who don’t have the qualifications traditionally required, such as ALevels. They help to widen opportunities and to include students who may have been excluded from education, or had very negative experience of education. Students are assessed by coursework, rather than examinations, which contributes to the accessibility of the programme.
As well as learning about the development of Western philosophy over the past 2,500 years from Homer to postmodernity, Access students will have the chance to hone their critical and analytical skills. To find out more, please contact Gerald Jones on 020 7831 7711 or email info@marywardcentre.ac.uk
And They All Look Just the Same
The Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) recently announced in the journal Nature Biotechnology that French scientists have succeeded in cloning rabbits using the ‘nuclear transfer’ technique, and that the rabbits have been shown to naturally reproduce offspring that are ‘normal and healthy’.
This is a ‘first’ for INRA in conjunction with BioProtein Technologies and Vivalis, previous attempts having failed globally. BioProtein Technologies is a French company set up to produce protein drugs in the milk of transgenic rabbits. Vivalis specialises in stem cells and making protein drugs in eggs. The commercial aim is to produce genetically identical rabbits for experimental purposes, the end result of which would be the isolation in rabbit milk of proteins which can be used as drugs.
All partners in the project stressed that in carrying out cloning they would ensure step-by-step validation of its applications; consider the ethical implications and seek the views of the public.
The Boys from Brazil part 23
Genetic research in China faces fewer stumbling blocks than in the West and is drawing back Chinese scientists who have studied overseas. It is reported that scientists are to receive state backing for the mass production of human organs from sacrificial embryos, using controversial technology involving the use of human tissue with animal cells.
Antinori – the Clone Ranger
Controversial Italian fertility specialist Dr Severino Antinori has claimed that one of his women patients is several weeks pregnant with a cloned human embryo – another ‘world first’. The clone is of a wealthy Arab who has placed unlimited funds at his disposal. Antinori denies that the risk of malformation of the foetus is high. He says that he can reduce this risk by careful screening, a claims greeted with vocal scepticism by infertility specialists and by Prof. Ian Wilmut of the Roslin Institute who led the team that perfected the ‘nuclear transfer’ cloning technique.
Stem Cell Breakthrough?
On a different tangent, early reports have emerged of a case where a patient suffering from Parkinson’s Disease has been treated with stem cells from his own brain. This has led to a temporary reduction in muscle rigidity and tremor. Prolifers have welcomed the possibility of using adult stem cells for therapeutic purposes, as opposed to those taken from human embryos.
Trust and the BBC
The elusive subject of trust was the chosen topic for this year’s Reith Lectures given by Baroness Onora O’Neill for the BBC. This choice was made in the light of her belief that loss of trust has become a cliché of our times in spite of ever greater accountablity of service providers, for example. The six part series of lectures will be published by Cambridge University Press at the end of May.
Happy Philosophy Day!
An international body is lobbying UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation) for the establishment of an internationallyrecognised Day of Philosophy. Established in 1948, FISP (Fédération Internationale des Societés de Philosophie) is an association of national philosophy societies. In making the suggestion FISP hopes that UNESCO will recognise “the role that philosophy can play in the endeavour to create a more humane world.”
Finally, Something Worth Watching
America’s first philosophy TV show will shortly be going national via satellite. Bearded ebullient sage Ken Knisely has achieved a breakthrough in his struggle to take his show, No Dogs or Philosophers Allowed, into the nation’s homes and make philosophical debates more popular than gameshows. Visit www.nodogs.org or see page 50 for schedules!