Rice philosophy professor to speak about stem-cell research debate

CONTACT: Ellen Chang
PHONE:
(713) 348-6777
EMAIL: ellenc@rice.edu

RICE
PHILOSOPHY PROFESSOR TO SPEAK ABOUT STEM-CELL RESEARCH DEBATE

Baruch Brody, a
professor of philosophy at Rice University, will discuss the debate on stem-cell
research at a lecture on Dec. 4.

Brody, director of the
Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, a collaborative effort of Baylor
College of Medicine and Rice and a professor of biomedical ethics at Baylor
College of Medicine, will speak about “Philosophical Reflections on the
Stem-Cell Research Debate” at 4 p.m. in the Kyle Morrow Room at Fondren
Library.

The development of
public policy on stem-cell research involves reconciling the diversity of
American views on the status of the preimplantation zygotes, which are destroyed
in deriving the cells. The same issue was faced when public policy was developed
for fetal tissue research. Brody will discuss the lessons that were learned for
that process and how to deal with the issues of complicity that have been raised
by opponents of stem-cell research.

The lecture is sponsored
by Scientia, an institute of Rice University faculty founded in 1981. It
provides an opportunity for scholarly discussion across disciplinary boundaries.

A wine and cheese
reception follows the colloquium.