AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion

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Becoming Human... And Beyond: A conference on the origin, constitution and future of human nature
1-3 November 2001
Chicago, IL
Field Museum

Co-organized by
Field Museum of Natural History
AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion

• Description
• Speakers
• Schedule

 

Description

Perhaps one of the defining features of human beings is to ask the questions "Who am I? Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going?" Virtually all the peoples of the Earth have ancient stories that offer answers to these questions. These stories are embodied not only in narratives but also in dance and song and in forms of visual art and have often been a central element in religious lore and ritual practice. These stories both reflect and help to propagate broader understandings of what the world in which humans live is like.

Today advances in scientific understanding in many fields are providing new understandings of the world and new answers to these primordial questions. Discoveries in paleoanthropology are shedding new light on the history of the evolutionary emergence of Homo sapiens among other hominid species. The mapping of the human genome is providing insight into both the contemporary biological constitution of human beings and also their evolutionary heritage. The dynamic relationship of human genes and human behavior is becoming clearer. While genes may not directly determine complex personal and social behavior, they do appear to establish behavioral propensities. The neurosciences are opening up deeper understandings of the relationships between human subjective experience and the physical structures and processes of the human brain. Current developments in robotics and artificial intelligence represent an effort to constitute a human-like form of cognitive being in a non-biological form. Such intelligent robots have been called humanity's "mind children."

The conference, "Becoming Human ... and Beyond" will explore these scientific developments and their implications for human self understanding through a series of presentations and discussions involving scientists, philosophers, religious scholars and authors of speculative fiction. It will provide an opportunity to learn about current scientific developments and to reflect on the meaning of these developments as we, human beings, continue to seek to understand where we came from, who we are, where we are going and what it means to be human.

Speakers

Thursday, November 1st
Bruce Knauft (Anthropology, Emory University)
Russ Tuttle (Anthropology, University of Chicago)
Robert Martin (Primatology/Anthropology , Field Museum)
Jim Miller (Program of Dialogue on Science, Ethics and Religion, AAAS)
Wendy Doniger (Comparative Religion, University of Chicago)
Joe Watkins (Anthropology, Andrako Agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs)


Friday, November 2
Robert H. Waterston (Genetics, University of Washington - St. Louis)
Beverly Davidson (Genetics, Medical Center, University of Iowa)
Eric Jeungst (Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University)
Laurie Zoloth (Ethics, San Francisco State Univ.)
Matthew McGue (Behavioral Genetics, University of Minnesota)
John Edward Terrell (Anthropology, The Field Museum)
Karen Lebacqz (Ethics, Pacific School of Religion)


Saturday, November 3
Todd E. Feinberg (Psychiatry, Beth Israel Medical Center)
Merlin Donald (Psychology, Queens University at Kingston, Ontario)
Anne M. Clifford (Duquesne University)
Rodney Brooks (Robotics, MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory)
Noreen Herzfeld (Computer Science, St. John University)
John Kressel (Science Fiction, North Carolina State University)
Nancy Kress (Science Fiction)

Schedule

Thursday, November 1
8:30 am	Coffee
9:00	Welcome and Introduction to the Conference Human Origins
9:30	Dramatic Readings from the Traditions Animist, Polytheistic, Monotheistic, Monist, Nontheistic
10:00	Cultural Function of Accounts of Human Origins Bruce Knauft (Emory University)
10:35	The Human Family Tree Russ Tuttle (University of Chicago)
11:10	Break
11:25	Human Distinctiveness Robert Martin (Field Museum)
12:00 PM	Panel and General Discussion
12:45	Lunch
1:45	Interpreting Human Origins -The Abrahamic Traditions: "Image of God" Jim Miller (AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics and Religion
2:20	Interpreting Human Origins? Eastern Monistic and Nontheist Traditions Wendy Doniger (Univ. of Chicago)
2:55	Break
3:10	Interpreting Human Origins - Indigenous Peoples Joe Watkins (Anadarko Agency, BIA)
3:45	Panel and General Discussion
5:00	Reception
6:30	Recess for the Day
Friday, November 2
8:30 am	Coffee Genetics and Humanness: The Genome
9:00	The Human Genome: Findings Robert H. Waterston (University of Washington - St. Louis)
9:35	Genetic Modification Beverly Davidson (Medical College, University of Iowa)
10:10	Break
10:25	Designer Humans Eric Jeungst (Case Western Reserve University)
11:00	Genes and Human Meaning Laurie Zoloth (San Francisco State Univ.)
11:35	Panel and General Discussion
12:45 PM	Lunch Genetics and Humanness: Behavioral Genetics
1:45	Genes and Behavior: A Genetics View Matthew McGue (University of Minnesota)
2:20	Genes and Behavior: An Anthropological View John Edward Terrell (The Field Museum)
2:55	Break
3:10	Genes and Human Responsibility Karen Lebacqz (Pacific School of Religion)
3:45	Panel and General Discussion
5:00	Recess for Dinner
7:00	Evening Performance
Saturday, November 3
8:30	Coffee
	Human Brain, Mind, Consciousness and Self
9:00	Brain and Mind: Neuroscience Todd E. Feinberg (Beth Israel Medical Center)
9:35	Brain and Mind: Cognitive Evolution Merlin Donald (Queens University at Kingston, Ontario)
10:10	Break
10:25	The Evolution of the Human Person Anne M. Clifford (Duquesne University)
11:00	Panel and General Discussion
12:00	Lunch
	The Human Future
1:00	AI/Robotics Rodney Brooks (MIT Robotics Laboratory)
1:35	Computers and Human Identity Noreen Herzfeld (St. Johns University - Collegeville, MN)
2:10	Break
2:25	Speculative Fiction Writers John Kessel (North Carolina State University) Nancy Kress (Silver Spring, MD)
3:35	Closing Roundtable and General Discussion
4:45	Closure
5:00	Adjourn