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By Peter Reiner, VMD, PhD Dr. Reiner is Professor in the National Core for Neuroethics , a member of the Kinsmen Laboratory of Neurological Research , Department of Psychiatry and the Brain Research Centre at the University of British Columbia, and a member of the AJOB Neuroscience Editorial Board. Four years ago, Neil Levy gave the concluding lecture at the first Brain Matters conference in Halifax. He alerted the audience of neuroethicists to the fact that the field of philosophy was undergoing a revolution – rather than muse from their armchairs in the ivory tower, a group of renegade philosophers were carrying out real experiments, asking people what their intuitions were about central issues in philosophy. Dubbed experimental philosophy , the new initiative was met with more than passing resistance from traditional philosophers. The apostate experimental philosophers responded by developing a logo of a burning armchair . Photo credit: Timothy Epp, Shutterstock The landmark e...

*Deadline for abstract submissions: August 13, 2012 *  Brain Matters 3:  Values at the Crossroads of Neurology, Psychiatry and Psychology  October 24th-25th, 2012 This conference provides a venue for collaboration and learning in the area of neuroethics. The plenary speakers of this conference will address ethical challenges in the treatment and research for conditions with neurological symptomatology but that are without identifiable biological correlates/causes. The complexities of suffering and disability experienced by individuals with these conditions are significant, including exposure to dangerous and futile treatments. Parallel sessions will include accepted abstracts from a broad range of neuroethics interests.  At this conference, presentations will be given by patients, physicians, neuroscientists, and ethicists and is intended to appeal to a broad audience.  Please see the call for abstracts and conference information at ...

As the semester drew to an end, and Kristina Gupta and I closed out our course on Feminism, Sexuality, and Neuroethics , I have been thinking a lot about the science of sexual identity. Participants in our class set out to consider the ethics of separating human beings into distinct kinds and conducting neuroscientific research into those separations. Along the way, we all thought about what the boundaries of sexuality and gender were, how they are culturally bound, how desire is measured (and mismeasured), both in the contemporary era and throughout history. We considered the use of these differences to create legislation and the effects of both medicalization and pathologization for members of sexual minorities. I'm sure this is exactly what happens. (Original image from hyperboleandahalf.com) On the last day of class, we asked our students to take into consideration all the discussions we had had over the course of the semester and reflect on their own opinions about the scienti...

*Deadline for abstract submissions: May 15, 2012 *  Brain Matters 3:  Values at the Crossroads of Neurology, Psychiatry and Psychology  October 24th-25th, 2012 This conference provides a venue for collaboration and learning in the area of neuroethics. The plenary speakers of this conference will address ethical challenges in the treatment and research for conditions with neurological symptomatology but that are without identifiable biological correlates/causes. The complexities of suffering and disability experienced by individuals with these conditions are significant, including exposure to dangerous and futile treatments. Parallel sessions will include accepted abstracts from a broad range of neuroethics interests.  At this conference, presentations will be given by patients, physicians, neuroscientists, and ethicists and is intended to appeal to a broad audience.  Please see the call for abstracts and conference information at  ...