28th July 2013

Robots, God and Genetic Engineering – update

We had lots of enthusiastic feedback from school students who came to the University of Reading event in June.  Here are some of the things they said:

• Learning about robots and if they have emotions. I was very interested in whether robots can have a conscience.

• The questioning between what makes a human human and a robot robot. It is amazing.

• That biological brains can be grown for robots. I may not understand it all but I sure love it.

• My ideas have changed a lot. Very interesting and many weird thoughts and questions came to mind.

• You need to have a philosophical mind to think about these questions. I really liked being asked for my ideas and debating

• Learning about robots and religion was very interesting. It has made me think about other people’s views more

• I found it very interesting because of how many people on the panel thought alike. My ideas haven’t changed but my views about religion have.

Read more about the day here

1st July 2013

Robots, God and Genetic Engineering

In June the University of Reading welcomed 300 pupils and teachers from across 13 British schools to explore Big Questions which bridge medical science, robotics, ethics and philosophy. Workshop sessions included building robots, cloning cauliflowers and discussion about the brain, the mind and free will.   The day was organised as a response to the growing pressure on teachers nationwide to deliver globally and scientifically aware future citizens.

The free workshops introduced ethical questions and deep philosophical questions about the nature of being human and what medical science can do for us and to us.

Prof John Bryant, a speaker on genetic engineering and bioethics, Dr Nick Hawes from Birmingham’s Intelligent Robotics Lab with robot ‘Dora the Explorer’, Prof Kevin Warwick, cybernetics expert and inventor of the robot rat complemented a frenzied day of activities for the enthusiastic teenagers: Tim, 15, from City of Norwich School mused: “Although I googled the event the day before I wasn’t really sure what the day would bring. Now my head is buzzing with even more questions then I came with.”

17th June 2013

Where was I before I was born?

Is it possible to name a stage at which the  developing human becomes a person?  Does a human being begin with fertilisation?  Can it really be as simple as that or is it more of a gradual process that continues even after birth?  A new-born ‘little person’ still has some  way to go before showing signs of self-consciousness, moral reasoning and abstract thought!

John Bryant, Professor Emeritus of Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Exeter takes a ‘gradualist’ approach whereas David Albert Jones, Professor of Bioethics at St Mary’s University College, Twickenham sees fertilisation as key.  Yes, an embryo is a clump of cells, but it is a very special clump of cells. It is a developing human being.  When you were minus one … 

3rd June 2013

Events for schools

The event being held for schools this month ‘Robots, God and Genetic Engineering’ is fully booked … however, we intend to provide a flavour of this day (talks, discussions, and audience reactions) as web pages planned for the future.

There are still spaces on the 25th September event ‘Robots, God and Free Will’.  This will be geared towards Years 9-11 and is being held at the Sheldonian Theatre, University of Oxford.  To request a booking form or more information, contact the LASAR Events Administrator, Janet Lake, email: LASAR@reading.ac.uk

At our last event for schools, Professor Kevin Warwick from the University of Reading talked about why he is sometimes called the first Cyborg 

13th May 2013

Newton, Science and God

Sir Isaac Newton realised that gravity is a force that operates not only on Earth, but also in space, pulling the planets in our solar system towards the sun.  He reasoned that God was such a superb designer he wouldn’t need to invent two forces where one would do the trick.

Newton tried to explain the orbital paths of the planets by suggesting that if they strayed a little in their orbits God would nudge them back on course.  This turned out to be a mistake. Scientists found ways to explain the planets’ orbits without the need for any nudging by God.

History  tells us that it is usually a mistake when scientists fix gaps in their understanding by calling on God or by using another kind of quick-fix solution.  Mysteries and gaps in science do not require sticky tape solutions, they need to be investigated.  Newton, Science and God

29th April 2013

Cloning – the facts and the fiction

Guest-writer Professor John Bryant explores the controversial subject of human cloning. One of the key questions raised is whether a genetic copy of a person – a genetic clone – would be the same as the person from whom the copy was made.

You’re never alone with a clone!

Professor Bryant, a renowned geneticist, explains that scientists are people too and thus share in the moral awareness and responsibility that is one of the marks of humankind. They must ask themselves not just what they can do but also what they should do and should not do.

15th April 2013

Who do you think you are?

Mark Pagel, who is a professor of evolutionary biology, talks to an auditorium of children to assure them they aren’t bananas, even though they share 50% of their genes with bananas.  And, as he says, it gets worse than that… a house fly shares 60% of its genetic material with us…

In a nine-minute video overview Professor Pagels asks ‘Who do you think you are?’ and what is there that makes us unique as human-beings?  On one level, he says, the answer is ‘not a lot’ as science has been “spectacularly successful” in explaining many human characteristics.  But there are other perspectives too…

1st April 2013

Write for this site!

This website is designed to appeal to students in secondary schools and we welcome their ideas and thoughts.  Short articles (250-500 words) can be uploaded by following the link on the Articles by Students page.

For example, Dominic (thinking about the origins of life) writes:

I think that it was inevitable that the right conditions such as volcanoes, interplanetary collisions and meteors would occur in some way to result in collections of cells and life as we know it, however small the probability of it happening was.

Here are some suggested themes:  Is time really relative?; Big Bang, Creation or Both?; Determinism versus Free Will; How do we know what we know and how do we know if it’s right?; How does science work and what questions are scientists exploring today?

18th March 2013

Science and World Faiths

How do world faiths see the relationship between science and religion?  We asked an Islamic astrophysicist, a Hindu scientist, and a Hindu priest and scholar to talk us through how they see the relationship between their faith and science.

Go to the page   (Also – there are links from the Science and World Faiths page to more in-depth interviews).

4th March 2013

Our CPD day for teachers is Friday March 15th at the University of Reading.

Build your skills, insight and know-how …

In one day participants will … discover how to run discussions about ‘hot topics’ where science and religion run into each other (Big Bang, Evolution and ethical questions); Dig into the natures of science and religion to look at the differences between a religious belief and a scientific conclusion; Discover what happens when children ask questions to weigh up what they learn in each classroom. Email Liz at Lasar@reading.ac.uk to organise your place.

18th February 2013

The SRSP (Science and Religion in Schools Project) team has provided us with an amazing set of FREE resources for teachers. These materials used to be sold as books and CDs. Take a look here.

1st February 2013

A new article about Einstein

Dr Patrick Woolley (pictured standing outside Einstein’s erstwhile office in Berlin) has written an article about the religiosity of Albert Einstein, the theoretical physicist who is often described as the father of modern physics. Here’s the page link:  Albert Einstein and religious beliefs

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16th January 2013

Faraday Schools … and now Faraday in Schools… 

If you have visited our Galileo or Darwin pages you will have encountered these two esteemed scientists being brought back to life by educationalist-actor Peter Casey of Blindseer Productions.  As well as Galileo and Darwin, Peter brings the persona of Einstein to schools and has just contacted us to say he has recently added Michael Faraday to his repertoire!

Follow the links to see Peter in action:

Galileo rocks the boat

Dear Darwin because of you

Why do Natural Disasters Happen?

Professor Bob White, a Christian and Volcanologist together with Dr Rowan Williams, the then Archbishop of Canterbury respond to the question: Why do Natural Disasters Happen?