May 2003
News

Renowned experts give Philosophy Lectures

Two leading philosophy experts recently gave talks at the University as part of a series of lectures organised by the Royal Institute of Philosophy and the Department of Social Sciences and Humanities.

Lecturer in Moral Philosophy Professor Robin Downie (pictured right) talked on 'Quality of Life: A Critique - what can not be measured'.

Professor Downie is an expert in nursing and medical ethics and is currently on the ethics committee of the Roslin Institute which produced the (late) Dolly the sheep.

The presentation took a critical look at the idea of 'quality of life', which has become central in decisions involving the withholding and withdrawing of treatment from demented patients, and in the assessment of the effectiveness of various expensive medicines.

In a further lecture, leading expert Professor Anthony O'Hear asked the question 'Is Openness Enough to Keep a Society Together?', basing his presentation on Sir Karl Popper who was best known for his contributions to the philosophy of science and to social and political philosophy.

Popper argued that the prime task of social institutions in an open society - one that encourages criticism and allows rulers to be replaced without violence - must not be large-scale utopian planning but the minimisation, through piecemeal reform, of avoidable suffering.

6 May 2003

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