We are in the midst of a “Brain Boom,” with enormous research effort and funding devoted to studying the workings of the human brain based on new technologies. The field is at a stage like genomics prior to the Human Genome Project, with initatives such as the US Brain Initative just starting and the potential [...]
In two weeks, the Ontario Institute for Regenerative Medicine (OIRM), is hosting a free, public event on stem cells -- in partnership with Western University. One of the featured panelists is Rotman faculty member, Carolyn McLeod, who will be delivering a talk entitled, "The Ethics of Stem Cell Research". Stem Cells 101: The Promise and [...]
by Cory Goldstein On February 6, 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada declared in Carter v. Canada (Attorney General) that the prohibition of physician assisted death—section 14 and section 241(b) of the Criminal Code—is unconstitutional1. The Court stated that the prohibition was deemed to infringe on the rights of individuals under section 7 of the [...]
by Justin Bzovy On February 25th we had Evan Fraser, a Canada Research Chair in Global Food Security at the University of Guelph, as our Rotman speaker. Fraser gave a talk on Food in 2050: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion. I had a chance to sit and talk with him about his interdisciplinary approach [...]
Rotman members have delivered several talks, and participated in conferences and colloquia throughout the month -- including the 2016 American Philosophical Association Pacific Division Meeting. Listed below are the APA 2016 program sessions that include Rotman members, followed by additional events (shown in alphabetical order) for the month of March. 2016 American Philosophical Association Pacific [...]
Cordelia Fine, of the University of Melbourne, delivered a lecture on March 9, 2016 entitled, The myth of the Lehman Sisters? Sex, testosterone, and financial risk-taking. Video of this lecture has been posted on the Rotman Institute of Philosophy YouTube channel. Abstract: There is growing scientific interest in the role of testosterone in financial risk-taking [...]
Evan Fraser, of the University of Guelph, delivered a lecture on February 25, 2016 entitled, Food in 2050: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion. Video of this lecture has been posted on the Rotman Institute of Philosophy YouTube channel. Abstract: Creating food systems capable of sustainably, equitably, and nutritiously feeding 9 billion people while dealing [...]
by Benjamin Hill On Sept. 14th at 4:50 am EST the LIGO facilities in Livingston, LA and Hanford, WA recorded a brief flash of light. Barely two weeks into its first run after an upgrade, LIGO detected its first gravity wave (Abbott et al. PhysRevLett 116:061102). Gravity waves are vibrations of spacetime and they were [...]
by Jamie Shaw Bill Nye’s recent comments about the (lack of) value of philosophy have caused somewhat of an uproar within the philosophical community. These comments are not new; many scientists and popular figures (including Neil deGrasse Tyson, Stephen Hawking, and Richard Dawkins) have signaled the death of philosophy as a discipline and nominated ‘science’ [...]
by Tracy de Boer When I first heard that Barbie was coming out with three new body types (petite, tall and curvy in addition to the original doll’s proportions), I was torn. On the one hand, I wanted to commend Mattel’s adaptiveness and dare I say, progressiveness (or maybe “progressive-lite” is more accurate). What is [...]
