This post alone shows the inextricability of biodynamics and politics. I believe that those who wish a heavy censor are not acting in the interest of biodynamics at all, but rather against it.
My 2 cents Stacey Rossi > >Genetic Engineering and the Intrinsic Value and > Integrity > >of Animals and Plants > > > >Wednesday 18th to Saturday 21st September 2002 > >Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, UK > > > >Speakers: > > > >*Holmes Rolston III, Environmental Ethicist, > Department of Philosophy, > >Colorado State University > >*Donald Bruce, Church of Scotland Science Religion > & Technology Project > >*Craig Holdrege, Contextual Biologist, The Nature > Institute, New York > >*Howard Davies, Theme Leader "Genes to Products" > Scottish Crop Research > >Institute, Dundee > >*Ruth Richter, Plant Morphologist, > Naturwissenschaftliche Sektion, > >Goetheanum, Switzerland > >*Henk Verhoog, Bioethicist, Louis Bolk Instituut, > Netherlands > >*Harry Griffin, Assistant Director (Science), > Roslin Institute, Edinburgh > >*Timothy Brink, Development Manager, Demeter > Standards UK > >*Mike Radford, Animal Welfare Lawyer, Department of > Law, Aberdeen > >University > >*Christina Henatsch, Biodynamic Plant Breeder, > Kultursaat, Germany > >*Ton Baars, Senior Scientist, Animal Husbandry, > Louis Bolk Institute, > >Netherlands > >*Clive Spash, Socio-economist, The Macaulay > Institute, Aberdeen > >*Bruce Whitelaw, Molecular Geneticist, Roslin > Institute, Edinburgh > >*Johannes Wirz, Contextual Biologist, > Naturwissenschaftliche Sektion, > >Goetheanum, Switzerland > > > >Workshop concept and aims > > > >For more than two decades public discussion of > genetic engineering has > >been > >dominated by risk-benefit considerations. Arguments > about its usefulness > >or > >its dangers for humans are traded even when the > dialogue partners are > >starting from a stance which is already in > principle for or against > >genetic > >engineering. Where do the living beings which are > the focus of this > >technology stand in all this? To help us answer > this question we shall > >place them at the centre of our workshop. > > > >Intrinsic value, the good of its own, of a creature > is gaining > >recognition > >in law. Indeed the concept of the dignity of > creation is incorporated in > >the Swiss constitution. In this conference we shall > consider both plants > >and animals. Whilst giving moral consideration to > plants seems > >controversial, the apparent closeness to humans of > animals through their > >sentience and consciousness may make it easier for > us to intuit their > >intrinsic value and to recognise their creature > interests. Yet we exploit > >them just the same. Indeed, we are dependent on > them for their products > >and > >the range of that dependence could be greatly > extended by what genetic > >engineering already has to offer. How can we > sharpen our awareness for > >their essential nature so that in evaluating the > technology we guard > >against violations of their integrity? We will > address this question > >helped > >by practical observation of plant and animal > phenomena guided by > >scientists > >from several countries. > > > >We will approach the subject from the most varied > angles by hearing > >presentations from ethicists, people engaged in > plant and animal breeding > >and husbandry, molecular geneticists, an animal > welfare lawyer, a > >socio-economist and biologists specialising in the > context of life. In > >panel, plenum and breakout discussions we will > deepen and challenge this > >wealth of experience and by drawing on the insights > we come to during the > >workshop we will try to visualise perspectives and > limitations of shaping > >the heritable constitution of animals and plants. > > > >It can be argued that overlooking aspects intrinsic > to farm animals has > >led > >to the series of crises in UK agriculture over the > past decade. This may > >be > >more than a hint to us that conceptually reducing > animals to > >bioproduction > >mechanisms which can be optimised at the molecular > level needs replacing > >by > >a science capable of understanding not only > molecular and cellular form > >and > >function but also organismic and aesthetic > qualities. This issue, one not > >just of epistemology but of actual laboratory > experience, will be central > >to our discussions. > > > >Plant and Animal: Guided Observation Sessions > > > >Recognising the intrinsic value and integrity of > living beings is greatly > >helped by direct observation. And observation > skills can be schooled so > >to > >as to make this faculty of recognition all the more > acute. The 2-hour > >sessions in the afternoons of 19th and 20th > September will be led by > >scientists from UK, Netherlands, Switzerland and > USA. > > > >Breakout Workshops 19th & 20th September, 4.30-6.00 > p.m. > > > >Discussion in much smaller groups to deepen some of > the plenum themes and > >add others which are relevant. Led by speakers and > other contributors > >attending the event. > > > >Panel Discussion, Friday 20th September, 7.30 p.m. > > > >Open to visitors attending for the evening. Led by > panelists chosen from > >the plenum speakers. Contributions from the floor. > > > >Plenum Discussions > > > >Ifgene aims to provide an opportunity for > developing viewpoints through > >dialogue. We have therefore scheduled a relatively > large amount of time > >for > >this, including an hour of discussion on the > closing day. The recent > >emergence of controversy about biotechnology in the > public arena has > >triggered interest in new methodological approaches > to the debate. In > >this > >workshop we should particularly like to make it a > 'power-free' dialogue > >in > >which individuals can dispense with the authority > of their affiliations. > > > >Who should attend? > > > >This multidisciplinary workshop has no single > target group of > >professionals > >in mind. Instead we intend it to be of interest to > people whose work or > >life brings them into contact with genetic > engineering and its products > >or > >is likely to in the near future. People in the > following subject areas > >among others will find this conference relevant: > farming, pharmaceutical > >production etc in genetically modified (GM) animals > and plants, > >environmental ethics, bioethics, marketing the > products of GM organisms > === message truncated === ===== @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Stacey Elin Rossi [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://zip.to/anaserene @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Health - your guide to health and wellness http://health.yahoo.com
