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SASOL SCIFEST 2001
This year's Sasol Scifest is billed to be another
huge success. Get the regular scoop right here on who will be talking on what at
this years National Festival of Science Engineering and Technology
Many of us may shake our heads at the thought of cloning and genetic technology. The thought of cloning humans especially brings up huge
ethical problems regarding the nature of life and the purpose of many of our religious and social structures. What Professor Lewis Wolpert
believes, which has shocked many and made him a controversial figure, is that science has no ethical issue or moral value, and that the fears
ordinary people and experts have about genetic technology is little more
than science fiction.
When addressing the issue of growing human organs, first introduced by embryologist Jonathan Slack from Bath University, Wolpert says that
the idea is perfectly moral because it is "not doing any harm to anyone". What Slack proposes is growing organs by taking some cells, switching
off the genes that grow the head and reprogramming the central nervous system. What is produced is a copy of the human form, but without a
head and with no feelings. It really does sound like something out of a science fiction movie, but Wolpert goes against the view that it is
"morally regressive" to create a mutant human form to serve our own purposes, and believes that if it benefits society, there is no ethical issue.
Wolpert is however not completely disillusioned about the idea of growing organs to be used in transplants, he acknowledges the "yuk
factor", the idea that the public will find the project upsetting and nauseating. He
realises that while he may not find many faults with the idea, whether or not it is made a reality depends on "whether it would be
acceptable or not to the public".
This interesting and well sought after figure is one of the key speakers at
Sasol SciFest 2001. His lecture, sponsored by Imperial College of London, will give insight into why science has no moral and ethical
value. Wolpert argues that the ethical value of science is created or produced only when it is applied to technology. His lecture will also
highlight the responsibility of scientists to make public the implications of their work.
Wolpert's current research interests are in the mechanism involved in the development of pattern in the embryo. He is Professor of Biology as
Applied to Medicine in the Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology of University College, London. He was originally trained as a
civil engineer at Wits University and worked for 2 years in Pretoria at the Building Research Institute. He then hitch-hiked up African in 1953 and
finally made his way up to London. Once there, he changed his academic focus and began research in Cell Biology at Kings College, London in
1955.
He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1980 and also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1999. He has presented science on the
radio and TV and has written numerous books on some of the more contentious issues of science, and some of the titles include "Malignant
Sadness. The Anatomy of Depression", "Passionate minds" and "The Unnatural Nature of Science". He also writes a column for the
Independent Newspaper in London.
He is a firm believer in bringing science to the public and was for five years Chairman of the Committee for the Public Understanding of
Science. Sasol SciFest 2001 is thus a great opportunity for the public to get some insight into a topic which will become more talked about
throughout the millennium.
Issued by Vanessa Vasques, Scifest Media Officer
NOTE: Sasol SciFest 2001 will be running from 28 March to 3 April, and Prof
Wolpert's lecture will take place on Saturday 31 March. The programme and booking kit for Sasol SciFest 2001 will be available from outlets
around the country towards the end of January. For further information tel (046) 603-1106 or email
scifest@foundation.intekom.com.
Visit our website at http://www.foundation.org.za/scifest
For further information please contact
Vanessa Vasques. Tel: (046) 603-1106/1172
Email: scimedia@foundation.intekom.com
Eve Cambray. Tel: (046) 603-1156
Email: eve.cambray@foundation.intekom.com
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