2-10 Hertford Rd
London N1 5SH
UK
Better memory, extended concentration, super problem-solving, brilliant creative insights and senses beyond those nature intended. As researchers work to expand our knowledge of the brain, some hope that their findings will not only allow us to treat diseases of the brain, but also enable healthy individuals to enhance their mental abilities. Is there a clear distinction between the treatment of disease, and the enhancement of normal functioning? Cosmetic surgery, sports medicine and assisted reproductive technologies show that we already use the fruits of medical research to go ‘beyond therapy’. Why not do the same to improve the power of our minds? If you could, would you swap your morning coffee for a bit of electric brain stimulation to kickstart your day? While all this may sound appealing to some, many remain profoundly skeptical. And even if we could, should we want to use emerging technologies to enhance the brain?
Join a fantastic group of thinkers, scientists and artists to explore the pros and cons of enhancing the mind and augmenting the senses. The event marks the end of a 3-year international project studying the societal aspects of neuro-enhancement. This will be a special edition of ‘Dialogue’ presented in partnership between Jugular Productions and the NERRI Project.
Chair Dr Shama Rahman
Speakers:
– Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris, Post-doctoral Researcher, Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London
Robin is a research fellow at Imperial College London who, since receiving his PhD in 2009, has spent the last 7 years researching the neuroscience and potential therapeutic use of psychedelic drugs.
– Oron Catts, Director of Symbiotica Centre for Excellence in Biological Arts, University of Western Australia
Oron is an artist, researcher and curator whose pioneering work with the Tissue Culture and Art Project, which he established in 1996 is considered a leading biological art project.
– Martin Dinov, PhD student in Computational Neuroscience, Imperial College London
Martin is Defence Science and Technology Laboratory funded PhD student at Imperial, and a key figure of the London brain hacker community.
– Prof. George Gaskell, Social Psychology, London School of Economics & Political Science
George’s research focuses on science, technology and society, in particular the issues of risk and trust, and how social values influence people’s views about technological innovation.
– Dr. Imogen Goold, Fellow and Tutor in Law, St. Anne’s College, Oxford University
Imogen works on legal questions related to controversial bioethical issues and has recently led an international project investigating human enhancement and the law.
– Prof. Steve Fuller, Auguste Comte Chair in Social Epistemology in the Department of Sociology, University of Warwick
Steve originally trained in history and philosophy of science, and his most recent work focuses on the future of humanity and visions of a post- and trans-human condition, the idea of ‘Humanity 2.0’.
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Seated in an informal circle (with audience in surrounding concentric circles), each speaker elaborates on their expertise of the general topic and their stance on the specific question.
We then move to a fun ‘dialogue’ where speakers complement and challenge each other in a debate style, offering perspectives ranging from personal lifestyle or career choices to implications on our wider society.
Each speaker will have up to 2 mins at any one time (enforced by the chair with a melodious gong!) and can only do so through the “Dialogue Phone” (a technological triumph!).
After a couple of rounds, the ‘dialogue’ will be opened up to you, the audience, for an opportunity to engage with the speakers (once again through the brilliant invention that is the “Dialogue Phone”). Don’t worry, you’ll have a free drink to bring on the brainwave.