The Philosopher's Zone - Program podcast Folgen

‘Thinking Out Loud’ is a series of three lectures on Philosophy & Society, presented by the University of Western Sydney in collaboration with the State Library of NSW, Fordham University Press in the States and ABC RN.

This week, we look at the convergence – or perhaps not – of two philosophies: Buddhism and modern science.  Buddhism has attempted to redefine itself in relation to neuroscience . A case in point is the ‘dialogue’ between Buddhism and neuroscience promoted by the Dalai Lama and his Western followers.   But before talking of a possible convergence between neuroscience and Buddhism, do we need to acknowledge the divergences?

You might think that, if anybody owns your genes, it’s you, but if you know anything about your genes it will be because of professional gene testing. And in cases of a genetically transmitted disorder, should genetic counsellors breach patient confidentiality to disclose the results of genetic tests to relatives who are likely to be affected by the same disorder?  Is genetic information personal information, which belongs to the patient being tested, or does it belong to all the patient’s genetic relations?