ethics news & views

Calendar of Events Fall 2000

___october
Friday, October 6, 1pm
Public lecture and workshop, "Reconciling Science & Religion: A South African's Personal & Professional Journey," Dr. George Ellis, University of Capetown. Cox Hall, Rooms 1& 2. Please RSVP to (404) 727-1179 or chunte2@emory.edu.

Rebuilding community in America: moving beyond irony and cynicism

Author Jedediah Purdy will join the Center for Ethics February 15-16 for a discussion of his new book, For Common Things: Irony, Trust and Commitment in America Today.

Purdy hopes to reinvent enthusiasm as a value for public life and personal commitment. He stands in opposition to the ironic attitudes identified with “Gen X,” seeking to lessen what he sees as an ironic detachment and cynicism that suffocates interest in embracing "common things"—environment, education, culture, law and government. Purdy believes this detachment is due mainly to media influence—particularly shows like Seinfeld and publications like Wired Magazine.

Stephen Carter visits Emory ethics center

Author Stephen L. Carter will visit Emory October 30 for a lecture and book signing at 4pm in White Hall, Room 208.

Stephen Carter, author of the best selling The Culture of Disbelief, redefines the role of religion in politics in his new book, God’s Name in Vain. Carter argues that American politics is unimaginable without America’s religious voices. Using contemporary and historical examples, from abolitionist sermons to presidential candidates’ confessions, he illustrates the ways in which religion and politics do and do not mesh well, and the ways in which spiritual perspectives might make vital contributions to our national debates.

Parker Palmer to visit Emory

The University Advisory Council on Teaching is pleased to announce that Parker Palmer will be visiting Emory University on November 17-18, 2000. Parker J. Palmer is a highly respected writer and traveling teacher who works independently on issues in education, community, spirituality, and social change.

The author of such widely-praised books as The Courage to Teach, To Know as We Are Known: Education as a Spiritual Journey, The Company of Strangers, and The Active Life, Parker Palmer is a senior associate of the AAHE and senior advisor to the Fetzer Institute. For more information regarding Parker Palmer’s visit, please contact Karen Brown-Wheeler, Program Coordinator for UACT, at kbrow01@emory.edu or (404) 712-9156.

On our own terms: Bill Moyers on dying

Improving care for the dying–and ultimately, each of our experiences of dying–is the focus of growing concern for patients, families, health care professionals, and public policy specialists in the United States. From 9 to 10:30 p.m. each night from Sunday, September 10 to Wednesday, September 13, PBS aired a series produced and edited by Judith and Bill Moyers entitled “On Our Own Terms: Moyers on Dying.” The series followed the journey of more than a dozen individuals, their families, and their caregivers through the dying experience as they, according to Bill Moyers, “help us to understand dying not as a failure of medicine, but as a natural part of life.”

Carol Fuzzard to assist provost, ethics center in development

Carol Fuzzard graduated from Smith College in Northampton, MA in 1990 with an A.B in German and Religion. She received a fellowship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and studied theology at the University of Tuebingen in Germany from 1990-1992. In the fall of 1992 Carol was awarded a Woodruff Fellowship at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University and enrolled in the M.Div program. After graduating from Candler and working for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games during the 1996 summer olympics, Carol returned to Candler and Emory as the Assistant Director at the Youth Theology Initiative funded by the Lilly Endowment. Since 1998 she has been in the University Development office at Emory.

Reconciliation Symposium

President Chace has declared the 2000-2001 academic year the “Year of Reconciliation,” and the RECONCILIATION SYMPOSIUM on January 25-27, 2001 will be the centerpiece of a year-long series of talks, performances, and other activities on the theme of reconciliation.

Former Merck CEO inaugurates Science, Ethics & Society Initiative

Last February a new joint initiative between the Center for Ethics and the Program in Science & Society of the Faculty Science Council brought world-renowned scientist and business revolutionary Dr. P. Roy Vagelos to campus to inaugurate an annual speaker series.

Ethics Center hosts summer faculty seminar

Should the values of responsible citizenship, community service and social criticism be pursued throughout the university, or just in certain contexts?

Our ethics, our biology: New Ethics, Science, and Society Initiative addresses 21st century

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common disease of motor neurons in the human central nervous system; gradual loss of nerve cells eventually leads to respiratory failure and death. Scientists have already demonstrated that “gene therapy” can be used to prolong life in mice with ALS. If we can perform early, perhaps in utero, genetic testing for ALS and for all the rapidly growing number of genes that when mutant are known to result in early death, should we? Should we test without having a competent gene therapy protocol available? And if one becomes available, which is inevitable, should we employ it and prolong the lives of these children-to-be? The answers to these questions are clearly fraught with profound ethical, religious, scientific, and legal concerns.

[ Posted by Arri Eisen on September 01, 2000 | Article Link | More Science, Ethics & Society articles | Comments (1) ]

Engaging minds, engaging communities: the inaugural servant leadership internships

"Courage, passion, and service animate their spirits.
Learning, doing, and transforming drive their journeys.
Openness, intellect, and community make them who they are."
—Melissa Snarr, Director of Ethics and Servant Leadership

Prophetic awareness: Greenleaf on servant leadership

In The Servant as Leader, Robert K. Greenleaf makes a compelling contribution to several fields, including organizational management, leadership theory, practical theology, and applied ethics. And he does so with an essay that speaks to the heart as well as the mind.

Gearing up in Ethics Leadership in a New Millennium

During 1999-2000 the Center for Ethics and its director underwent a five-year review. Conducted by the Provost’s office, the evaluation brought three distinguished scholar-ethicists to Emory in March. They spent two days on campus, speaking with numerous faculty members, administrators and a number of students. The review team included Dr. John Fletcher, founder of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Virginia, Dr. Elizabeth Kiss, Director of the Kenan Center for Ethics at Duke University, and Dr. Bernard Lo, Professor of Ethics at the Medical School of the University of California at San Francisco. The report they presented to the Provost reflected careful listening and great thoughtfulness. Their evaluations strongly affirmed the Center’s growth and development since 1995. They also challenged the Center by pointing to areas of potential excellence that beckon as it continues to strengthen its teaching, research and service components. On the basis of both an internal review and this committee’s external evaluation, President Chace and Provost Chopp invited the present director to continue in the leadership of the Center. I have accepted this invitation with enthusiasm and excitement, and I am eager to continue pursuing their mandate to foster the growth of ethical teaching, research, and service at Emory.