Life Sciences and Society Symposium to focus on neuroscience and ethics

COLUMBIA — Leading researchers will be at MU this weekend to discuss science and morality.

The seventh annual Life Sciences and Society Symposium: Ethics and the Brain is bringing together experts in neuroscience, law, psychology, philosophy, anthropology and theology to discuss how a person’s biology influences decisions. All events are free and open to the public, and registration is encouraged.

 Saturday

• “Neurocriminology: Neuroethical and Neurolegal Implications” at 10:30 a.m. in the Conservation Hall foyer at the Anheuser-Busch Natural Resources Building. Adrian Raine, criminology professor at the University of Pennsylvania, will discuss the connection between brain impairments and criminal behavior.
• Panel discussion at 2:50 p.m. in Monsanto Auditorium at the Bond Life Sciences Center. The panel will include Adrian Raine of the University of Pennsylvania; Adam Kolber, law professor at Brooklyn Law School; and Nancey Murphy, theology professor at Fuller Theological Seminary. 
• "History of Violence" keynote address at 7 p.m. at the Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts. Steven Pinker, Harvard University psychology professor, will discuss why the public perceives crime to be on the rise, despite its actual historical decline. 

Sunday

• "How the Mind Makes Morals" at 9 a.m. in Monsanto Auditorium. Patricia Churchland, philosophy professor at the University of California-San Diego, will discuss how the brain influences human concerns about others' well-being.
• "Getting Mad About the Bad: Emotion and the Moral Brain" at 11:30 a.m. in Monsanto Auditorium. Jesse Prinz, philosophy professor at the City University of New York, will discuss the role emotions and reason play in decision-making.
• Panel discussion at 12:30 p.m. in Monsanto Auditorium. The panel will include Patricia Churchland of the University of California-San Diego; Joseph Dumit, anthropology professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Jesse Prinz of the City University of New York. 

Event registration is free, and it is required for lunch and refreshments. For more information, a complete schedule of events and registration, visit the symposium website.