Experts to discuss issues of 'Morality in the 21st Century'

Morality in the 21st Century" will be the subject of a three-day conference to be held Friday through Sunday, Oct. 26-28, at the University of Delaware, with speakers considering such complex and controversial topics as bioengineering, cloning, pornography, human rights, globalization and social justice.

The conference, which will be held in Clayton Hall, is sponsored by the University and the UD-based American Philosophical Association, with additional funding through the association's Baumgardt Fund, the UD Class of 1955 Ethics Endowment Fund and the Delaware Humanities Forum.

The conference marks the 100th anniversary of the American Philosophical Association and its 25th year on the UD campus.

It is designed to bring together University faculty, students and the public "to begin conversation on some of the main moral issues that will face society in this new century," according to Frederick R. Adams, chair of the UD Department of Philosophy and a conference organizer.

"Some of these moral issues will grow out of new technology, some will come from changes in the social and political scene and some will be continuations of issues we have now, such as concerns over the environment, abortion, health care rationing and so on," Adams said.

Keynote addresses during "Morality in the 21st Century" will be held during plenary sessions Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoon. Admission to the plenary sessions is free and open to the public. Cost to attend other sessions is $25, $10 for students.

Norman Daniels, the Goldthwaite Professor of Rhetoric and Professor of Medical Ethics at Tufts University, will speak on the topic "Justice is Good for Our Health" at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 26.

Martha Nussbaum, Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago will discuss "Shame, Stigma and Punishment" at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 27, and Hilary Bok, Luce Professor in Bioethics and Moral and Political Theory at the Johns Hopkins University, will speak at 1 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 28.

Bok's talk will be followed at 2 p.m. by a concluding panel discussion, with panelists Elizabeth Radcliffe, executive director of the American Philosophical Association and a member of the UD faculty; Richard Hanley and Christopher Gannon, both of UD; Peter Caws of George Washington University; Michael Slote of the University of Maryland; and Daniel Callcut, Chris Grau and Mary Berk, all of the Johns Hopkins University.

One-hour-long breakout sessions, noting topics and speakers, will be held on Friday, Oct. 26, 6-7 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 27; 9-noon, and 1–5 p.m.; and Sunday, Oct. 28, 9-noon.

For additional information, call 831-1112. For details on all of the speakers and topics scheduled during the panel discussion, visit the American Philosophical Association web site [www.apa.udel. edu].