VIII EPS Forum Physics and Society 2018
The VIII Forum Physics and Society is organised by the European Physical Society and will take place in Geneva on 29 September 2018. This year’s meeting will focus on « Physics and ethics for society on the horizon 2050 ».
What are the key elements that make human beings so unique in nature?
At first glance, we might think that the key ingredient that makes humans so unique is our verbal communication skills. Indeed, verbal communication is crucial for exchanging ideas and for the development of our complex human societies. Alternatively, we might think that what makes us completely different from other living species is our capability to build complex instruments and tools, both having a huge social impact. But in addition to our verbal communication and capability to build complex instruments, there is one more element that makes human beings really unique; it is our ability to imagine and shape the future making use of the alliance between science and technology as well as our past, present, and future linked by our projected memories, dreams and passion for knowledge.
Although the quest for knowledge in itself is not necessarily susceptible to ethical evaluation, science should abandon its ethical neutrality when it addresses the way knowledge is achieved and the technological applications that affect the needs and desires of individuals and society. This is particularly clear in health research where the interests of science and society should never prevail over the well being of individuals or research for a sustainable development where desires of individuals can conflict sith the needs of society and humanity. Furthermore, the development of artificial intelligence will lead us through a fascinating landscape of development as well as ethical considerations.
Details can be found on the forum’s website : http://www.forumphysicsandsociety.org/
