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CallforAbstracts

Conference

HumanEnhancementandEvolution

Scientific,Technological,Policy&ELSConsiderations

Lisbon

13th-14thDecember2017.

HostInstitution:CentreforPhilosophyofScienceoftheUniversityofLisbon(CFCUL)[http://cfcul.fc.ul.pt/],C1,3rdfloor

TheConferencewillhavetwoparts:

1. EvolutionandtheSciencesandTechnologiesofHumanEnhancement

Organismal dynamics are such that organisms incontrovertibly affect the very evolutionarypressuresthatshapethem,even ifonly indirectly.Butseemingly,amongstallorganismsandperhapsowing to their cognitiveevolution,humansbecameexceptionally fine controllersofboth theirs and other organisms’ evolutionary processes. In virtue of the sciences andtechnologies of human enhancement, more effective exertion of control over evolution isnowadaysbecomingevident,andthisisshownamongothersbytheriseofnewtechnicssuchasgeneticeditingtools. However,humanenhancementanditsbroadevolutionaryeffectsarestillunderstudied.

Weinvitecontributionstotheeffortofunderstandingtheplethoraofwaysinwhichevolutionrelatestohumanenhancement.Assuch,topicsofinterestmayinclude,butarenotlimitedto:

• Thehumanevolutionarypossibilities:predictivemodels,challengesandlimitations;• Directedevolution,bothgenedriven (e.g.geneticengineering, inducedmutagenesis,

andreprogenetics)ornon-germlinebased;• Evolutionary trade-offs of assisted modes of human reproduction, immunity

engineering, medical and health technologies, and of longevity enhancements(interferences in senescence and lifespan), their demographics and populationdynamics;

• Natural and artificially induced reticulate evolution (e.g. human-non-humantransgenesis);

• Present&futurehumanevolution(e.g.k-selectionandspeciation);• Theimpactoftechnologicalevolutionquanicheconstructiononhumanevolutionand

ecology(e.g.geoengineering;non-Earth-boundedevolution);• Non-carbon-basedevolution(includingAIsofallkinds&alien);• Theevolutionof4Eandscaffoldedcognition;• Therelationbetweenfitnessandhumanenhancement(e.g.doeshumanenhancement

enhancefitness?);• Workingdefinitionsof“humanenhancement”forEvolutionaryTheories;• Isthereactualcontroloverevolution?Howcouldweunderstandit?• HumanevolutioninrelationtoTechnologyevolution(e.g.human-machineinterfaces);

KeynoteSpeaker(s):ProfessorJohnHarris;TBA.InvitedSpeaker(s):TBA.LocalOrganizingCommittee:JoãoPinheiro[CFCUL];Dr.AlexanderGerner[CFCUL].

2. Policy&ELSAofGenomeEditingandHumanEnhancement

Genome editing is a technology with the potential to promote and enhance health andunderstand disease. However, as many other disruptive advances in science, it also bringschallengesatanethical,legal,social,andpoliticallevel,particularlyregardingthetreatmentofhereditarydiseasesandtheintegrityofthehumangermline.Thepossibilitiesofgenome-editingand its limits and consequences, specifically to therapeutic applications and targetedinterventions in ecosystems are being broadly discussed by many. It will be important tocontributetothedebateinacriticalandtransparentwaywiththeparticipationofscientists,society and policy-makers. This will provide a platform to better assess the benefits andpotentialrisksofthetechnologytohelpsupportthedevelopmentofsoundpoliciesinthefuture.

Weinvitereflectionsuponthefollowingthemes(butnotlimitedto):

• Ethical,legal,politicalandsocialchallengesassociatedwithgenome-editing;• Geneticediting:evolutionoftechnologyandmedicineanditsImplicationsforhuman

health,andthenaturalenvironment;• Socio-ethicalandpolicy-relatedquestionsabouttheacceptabilityofgermline

modification;• Challengesondefining“Geneticidentity”,parenthoodandrespectiveresponsibilities:

limitsandconsequences;• “Humanenhancement”potentialofgeneticediting:Implicationsandscientific-

technologicalfeasibilitythereof;• Responsestothechallengeofestablishednorms.

KeynoteSpeaker(s):ProfessorBarthaMariaKnoppers;TBA.InvitedSpeaker(s):TBA.LocalOrganizingCommittee:Dr.AlexanderGerner[CFCUL];Dr.MaraAlmeida[CFCUL].

ScientificCommittee:ProfessorPhilipKitcher;ProfessorGregoryStock;ProfessorSusanKelly;ProfessorKevinM.Esvelt;ProfessorRitaZilhão;Dr.NathalieGontier;ProfessorMariaFernandaPalma.

Abstractsubmission

For your submission pleasemake sure to provide two separate documents: (1) InformationDocumentwith all authors' names and affiliations, aworking address for the correspondingauthor,andrespectivee-mailaddress;(2)AnonymizedDocumentwithatitleandanabstractof500 words max. (excluding bibliographical references). Both documents should be sent tophilhumtech@gmail.com until the 20th of October under the heading of “Submission toConferenceHumanEnhancementandEvolution”.

Theannouncementoftheresultsissettothe31stOctober.Theselectedabstractswillbeinvitedfora20min.presentation.

Authorsofselectedabstractstothe1stpartoftheconferencewilllaterbeinvitedtocontributetoapeerreviewedvolumeintheSpringerBookSeriesInterdisciplinaryEvolutionResearchon

the topic of Evolution and the Sciences and Technologies of Human Enhancement[http://www.springer.com/series/13109].Thecontributorstothe2ndpartoftheconferencewillalsobeconsideredforpublication.

Registrationandattendancearefreeofcharge.

Conferencedinnerisscheduledforthe14thDecemberinLisbon.

TheconferenceisorganizedbythePhilosophyofHumanTechnologyStrategicResearchLineoftheCFCULandwillbeheldinEnglishattheFacultyofSciencesoftheUniversityofLisbon,CampoGrande,AmphitheatreID-Ciências,BuildingC1,3rdfloor,Lisbon,Portugal.

Pleasefeelfreetocontacttheorganizersincaseyouhaveanydoubtsorusethegenerale-mailaddress:philhumtech@gmail.com.

KindregardsfromLisbon,Theorganizingcommittee,

Dr.AlexanderGerner[amgerner@fc.ul.pt]Dr.MaraAlmeida[msalmeida@fc.ul.pt]JoãoPinheiro[joaopinheiro@hotmail.com;http://cfcul.fc.ul.pt/equipa/jpinheiro.php]