Paul Thompson: Ethical Issues in Agriculture: Organic, Locavore and Genetic Modification
Video of lecture available HERE (Browse down)
Podcast available HERE
Situating Science, Evolution Studies Group at Dalhousie University, the Philosophy department at Saint Mary's University, Mount Saint Vincent University, and International Development Studies at Dalhousie University are pleased to support Part One of the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Public Affairs (www.ccepa.ca) series, "The Elements: Ethical Uses of Our Resources - Food, Oil and Water"
Part One - Food
Ethical Issues in Agriculture: Organic, Locavore and Genetic Modification
Dr. R. Paul Thompson, Ph.D.
Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
University of Toronto
Wed. Jan 25, 2012 7pm AST
Scotiabank Auditorium, Marion McCain Arts and Social Science building
Dalhousie University, 6135 University Avenue
STREAMED ONLINE LIVE 7PM AST HERE: http://www.livestream.com/keonitv
Free event - Reception to follow.
Thompson explores the scientific background, legal and ethical concerns of, and ideological objections to genetically modified organisms. He addresses unsubstantiated claims and scare mongering in the wake of intense public scrutiny of the molecular genetic modification of plants and animals.
Thompson's analysis is based on his newly released text Agro-Technology
Abstract:
There has been considerable public attention to, and debate, about food in the past two decades. Advocates for organic agriculture, for eating locally grown food and rejecting genetic modification abound. Although many of the claims made in support of positions on these topics allude to health, environmental and economic issues, the core of the debates is ethical and philosophical and for some theological. Those ethical and philosophical issues are the focus of this lecture; obviously, the claims made about health, the environment and the economy will form an essential backdrop.
Respondents:
Dr. Bohdan L. Luhovyy
Applied Human Nutrition Department,
Mount Saint Vincent University
Dr. Rylan Higgins, Department of Anthropology, Saint Mary's University
Dr. Tarjei Tennessen
Plant and Animal Science Department,
Nova Scotia Agricultural College
