Humanities News, Features, and Other Updates

Anna K. Swartz (HU), a graduate student in Rhetoric, Theory & Culture, presented a poster, “The Neurobiological Explanation of Mental Illness: Implications for the Therapeutic Alliance,” at the International Neuroethics Society meeting in Washington DC on Nov. 10.

L. Syd M Johnson (HU) presented a poster, “Research with Embryo-Like Organisms and Cerebral Organoids: Do the Usual Rules Apply?” at the International Neuroethics Society meeting in Washington, DC, Nov. 10. The poster received a “Top Abstract” award from the American Journal of Bioethics Neuroscience.

L. Syd M Johnson (HU) has published “Known Unknowns: Diagnosis and Prognosis in Disorders of Consciousness” in AJOB Neuroscience.

Join the English programs at Michigan Tech and Finlandia for the local book launch/celebration of Stephanie Carpenter’s (HU) new book of short stories, “Missing Persons” at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10 at the
Finnish American Heritage Center in Hancock.

Carpenter will read from her book and a short reception will follow. George Saunders, winner of the 2017 Man Booker Prize and author of “Lincoln in the Bardo,” has described “Missing Persons” as “Inventive, magical, compelling and strange in just the way life and people are strange. Stephanie Carpenter is a rare and wonderful talent.”

Join Scott Marratto (HU) from 4-5 p.m. Wednesday (Nov. 1) in MUB Ballroom B1 for his presentation, “Morality and Technology: Rethinking Engineering Ethics.”

Marratto’s discussion will conclude the Fall 2017 HuskyLEAD workshops; however, individuals are still encouraged to check out the HuskyLEAD-Strengths Series opportunities still happening.

Traditional approaches to engineering ethics stress the application of professional codes of ethics to real-world problems. The mainstay of education in this approach is the case-study: the examination of real and hypothetical incidents (e.g., the space shuttle Challenger accident) with a view to drawing lessons about how ethical rules and procedures could, or should, have been applied. A number of ethicists and philosophers of technology have raised critical questions about this approach.

They have argued that ethics should be more integrated into the education of engineers and designers. In this talk and discussion, we will consider some of these challenges and proposals for new approaches to engineering ethics.

Vicky Bergvall (HU), Diane Shoos (HU) and Patty Sotirin (HU), along with RTC doctoral students Nancy Henaku and Tolulope Odebunmi and RTC alumna Lindsay Hingst, presented papers in the panel “Signs of Women’s Empowerment and Collective Action” at the 40th anniversary conference of the Organization for the Study of Communication, Language and Gender in Omaha, Nebraska, Oct 12-14.

L. Syd M Johnson (HU) attended the American Society for Bioethics & Humanities annual meeting from Oct.19-22 in Kansas City, Missouri. She organized, presented at and moderated a workshop session on “Belmont for Animals? Considering a framework for protecting nonhuman primates in research”. She also organized, presented at and moderated a panel session on brain death, “Ethics in the Center: When medically ‘settled’ matters and social, cultural, or religious values diverge.” She organized and chaired the Animal Bioethics Affinity Group meeting and she was a guest panelist for a film screening of the documentary film “Unlocking the Cage.”