Moral Attitudes & Decision-Making at the Kenan Institute for Ethics » Events

“Finding Consciousness” Workshop, Jan. 23-25

katherine — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 15:50:11 +0000

Neuroscientists have recently developed ways to detect consciousness in patients with severe brain injury who show little or no outward sign of consciousness. These new methods raise a host of questions for scientists, philosophers, lawyers, ethicists and medical practitioners.
Join us for the workshop “Finding Consciousness” to discuss these interdisciplinary issues.

The workshop is free and open to the public. However, space is limited and registration is required. For registration and a full schedule, visit the conference website.

Speakers include:
Jeffrey Baker, MD, PhD · Timothy Bayne, PhD · James Bernat, MD · Nita Farahany, JD, PhD · Jack Gallant, PhD · Valerie Gray Hardcastle, PhD · Jennifer Hawkins, PhD · Adrian Owen, PhD · Richard Payne, MD · Nicholas Schiff, MD · Caroline Schnakers, PhD

This conference is sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services; Bioethics at the NIH; Duke Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities and History of Medicine; Duke Institute for Brain Sciences; Kenan Institute for Ethics; Duke Department of Philosophy; and Oak Ridge Associated Universities.

MADLAB Opening Reception, Nov. 19

katherine — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 16:17:37 +0000

The Moral Attitudes and Decision making MADLAB is currently moving into its newly renovated space in the West Duke Building. The lab is a vertically-integrated, interdisciplinary laboratory, co-directed by Phil Costanzo(Psychology and Neuroscience), Walter Sinnott-Armstrong (Philosophy and the Kenan Institute for Ethics), and Stephen Vaisey (Sociology), where faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and undergrads work together on shared research projects. The lab is currently underway in a new facility in the West Duke Building. An opening reception is being held to celebrate the opening of the new lab space.

Opening Reception
November 19, 5:00-7:00 pm
100 West Duke Building
Refreshments will be served

Visiting scholar Yoel Inbar, Dec. 10-12

katherine — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 16:27:36 +0000

Moral Attitudes and Decision-Making will be hosting visiting scholar Yoel Inbar, Assistant Professor of Social Psychology at Tilburg University, December 10-12. Inbar will be working with the MADLAB research group.

Inbar will be giving the last lecture in the Monday Seminar Series on December 10th, 12:30-1:30 in 101 West Duke.

Inbar’s research concerns the interplay between two general mental processes that influence judgment: rational, deliberate analysis, and intuitive, emotional reactions. His work looks at the interaction between these two kinds of thinking and the implications for people’s beliefs, actions, and choices. Examinations explore how intuition affects our choices; how our moral beliefs determine our own actions and our judgments of others; and how the emotion of disgust can predict our moral and political attitudes.

For more information on his visit, please contact Nina Strohminger at nina.strohminger@duke.edu.

Monday Seminar: Doug MacLean, Oct. 8

katherine — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 14:26:42 +0000

A Plea for Humanism

Doug MacLean, Professor of Philosophy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will be speaking October 8^th as part of the Monday Seminar Series from 12:00-1:30 in room 101, West Duke Building.

MacLean’s talk will examine Peter Singer’s criticism of moral theories and moral practices that favor the interests of human beings over the like interests of non-human animals — “speciesism” — likened by Singer to racism and sexism. MacLean will examine Singer’s argument, suggest that it rests on a naïve conception of our relation to animals, and argue that morality depends on assuming that human beings are uniquely important.

MacLean’s current research focuses on practical ethics and issues in moral and political theory that are particularly relevant to practical concerns. Most of his recent writing examines how values do and ought to influence decisions, both personal decisions and government policies. He has written more general survey articles on risk analysis, risk aversion, and environmental ethics.

Family Weekend Reception, Oct. 27

katherine — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 20:45:57 +0000

As part of the Duke University Family Weekend 2012, KIE will be holding a reception for students and their families.

Saturday, October 22
11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Kenan Institute for Ethics
101 West Duke Building

Monday Seminar: Nina Strohminger, Sept. 17

Christian — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 14:57:32 +0000

The first official talk in the 2012-2013 Monday Seminar Series will be given by Nina Strohminger on the role of disgust in moral judgment on September 17 at noon. Strohminger is currently a Postdoctoral Associate at the Institute working under the supervision of Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, Dan Ariely, and David Pizarro.

Student Open House August 31st

Christian — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 14:58:53 +0000

The Institute welcomes students to campus with an open house from 3pm to 5pm on Friday, August 31^st. Come join us for cupcakes and conversation as we gear up for the new year! The event will be held in Room 101 in the West Duke Building, across the hall from the main office of the Kenan Institute for Ethics.