McGill announced on Feb. 2 that David Laidley (BCom ’67), chairman emeritus of Deloitte LLP, donated five million dollars to establish the Laidley Centre for Business Ethics, which will be part of the Desautels Faculty of Management. According to Desautels communications manager Leilani Ku, the fledgling centre is in its[Read More…]
Tag: ethics
From the Brainstem: The ethics of gene editing
Since the discovery of the structure of DNA in 1953, society has debated whether our understanding of human biology might one day be our downfall. These debates progressed through the transgenic mice and in vitro fertilization of the ‘70s, DNA copying of the ‘80s, viral gene delivery and cloned sheep[Read More…]
Cloning: A tale of two monkeys
At the end of 2017, researchers in Shanghai successfully cloned primates for the first time: Two macaque monkeys they named Hua hua and Zhong zhong. Published in the latest edition of the journal Cell, this was the first time that a Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT)—a reproductive cloning strategy—was used[Read More…]
Beyond protests and picket signs: How student activists make a difference
Student activism can take many forms, from petitions and hashtag campaigns to marches and guerilla theatre. But such avenues for dissent have one thing in common: A passion for challenging the status quo. Young student organizers are committed to bettering the world they will graduate into by advocating for equality and[Read More…]
McGill hosts speakers on the ethical and legal ramifications of stem cell research
On Nov. 1, the McGill Journal of Law and Health hosted a speaker series with the goal to explore the ethical and legal ramifications of stem cell research. Michel Tremblay, a professor in the Department of Biochemistry at McGill, was the first speaker. Tremblay began by giving the audience a[Read More…]
‘Westworld’ and the ethical dilemma of sentient machines
While deep in conversation with your childhood best friend, you catch glimpse of a frayed wire and grey hinge protruding from the side of their neck. “I thought you knew,” they calmly remark at your gaze. Suddenly they swing the hinge open to reveal an intricate set of wires and[Read More…]
“Ethics of Immigration” event addresses moral aspects of border control
On March 9, Georgetown Assistant Teaching Professor of business ethics and Director of the Institute for Liberal Studies Peter Jaworski delivered a talk to approximately 150 McGill students on the ethics of immigration. The talk was co-hosted by the Institute for Liberal Studies and the Research Group on Constitutional Studies.[Read More…]
Growth attenuation therapy mimics an ugly past
A recent article published in the New York Times discussed a boy named Ricky, who had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and static encephalopathy. His permanent brain damage meant he was unable to walk and had very limited eyesight. Ricky is now nine years old, but his body is the[Read More…]
Design in the university context: The ethical implications of McGill’s iconography
The world is saturated with imagery that dictates ideologies. Brand loyalty cultivated by familiar icons affects cultural, political, and individual identity. “There’s a reason that Coca Cola has barely changed its logo in 120 years,” Christopher Moore, professor of Design and Computation Arts at Concordia University said. “It gives a[Read More…]
The history of eugenics in Quebec and at McGill
McGill University is known for its cutting-edge scientific research. Many may not know, however, that during the early 20th century, McGill was a communication hub between eugenicists in Britain and Canada. Eugenics has its roots in England—the term was first coined by British scholar Francis Galton in 1883. Galton took[Read More…]
