Abortion: Ethical and Semantics Issues

Dear Friends,

Greetings from the LIFT!

This is to remind you that we gather for the LIFT Meeting, Tomorrow, Friday, 31 May 2013, at 7 pm at the Holy Spirit College, Leuven. 

Topic         : Abortion: Ethical and Semantics Issues

Speaker    : Josin George Kaithakulam

Moderator: Sain Chandy Vadakkan

Abstract:

Abortion – Ethical and Semantics Issues

 The issue of abortion may never end as it is a matter is life and death; pro-life and anti-life and right to life and right over one’s body. It is not even a year that death of Savita Halappanavar in Ireland called in the attention of the whole world. Unfortunately, the vociferous media did not bring what the issue is at stake and the Catholic moral theologians stood by both the official Church’s position and of certain moral theologians. Now again, a few weeks back we are provoked to look into this  problem getting hold as a canker even in the so called first world with the life sentence given to  Kermit Barron Gosnell, who aborted hundreds of zygotes and even killed born-alive kids in his infamous abortion clinic in Philadelphia. It urgently calls for not to think of his brutality and barbarity, but to think of the ethical problems and the semantic issues in dealing with abortion. Of course, even in moral theology too, we see the hair-splitting technical and moral arguments, felt mostly as a semantic play. Further we hear that the USA is seeking, together with some European nations, to create new “rights” such as the right to abortion and euthanasia.  The term “reproductive rights” widely spoken now is only a semantic twist for abortion and anti-life procedures. While the technology of communication has improved dramatically, the content of communication appears to have deteriorated in inverse proportion to the media used. As priests and nuns, we are faced with the concerns – therapeutic, pastoral, social, and the necessity of upholding the catholic teaching. Generally people depend on secular literature to positively know about such issues.  For example, John Grady in his book “Abortion – Yes or Not,” refuted all the arguments for abortion, and possibly this is one of the most widely read treatises on abortion in the world. And people have interest in the Church teachings to criticise the Church’s pro-life stand. It is incumbent on us, ‘set apart people’ for the Church, to have clarity on the issues of abortion and defend the Church position reasonably.

So, we will have a brief presenation:

·         Of  Savitha Halappanavar’s death and the brutal practice of John Grady.

·         The ethical positions of certain theologians of the church.

·         The semantic issues in dealing with abortion issue.

·         Social and pastoral issues in India – for discussion.

Hoping to meet you all,

For the Core Committee,

LIFT (Leuven-Indian Forum of Thinkers)

How Normative is the Past for the Future?

Dear Friends,

Greeting from the LIFT!

As informed earlier, we gather for our next LIFT Meeting on Thursday, 14 February, 2013 at 7 pm, at the Holy Spirit College, Leuven. 

Speaker     : Jomon Jose Chakkara

Moderator  : Christopher John OIC

Topic          : How Normative is the Past for the Future? Discussing the Tradition of Discrimination and Neglect of Female Children in Northern India 

Expecting you all on Thursday,

For the CC,

Roy Palatty

Meetings

Dear Friends,

Greeting from the LIFT!

This is just to let you know our next LIFT Meetings. Kindly notify in your personal diary.

1. Thursday, 14 February, 2013 - Jomon Chakkara

2. Wednesday, 06 March, 2013 - SainVadakkan CST

Details will be communicated later.

If you have some fascinating topics to present in connection with your research or on a topic of your choice, kindly let us know. 

Best Regards,

The CC of the LIFT

Listening Campaign

Dear Friends,

Greetings from the LIFT! 

We want to meet you all on Saturday, 17 November at 6 pm at the Holy Spirit College, Leuven. 

• For What?:  We have the first LIFT gathering of this academic year.
• Context     :  Brussels has been selected to host the world largest Inter-Religious and Inter-Convictional Gathering - the 2014   Parliament of World's Religions and Convictions. To encourage wider participation in the Parliament, the organizers conduct Listening Campaign with community leaders, decision makers, and key persons of all branches and levels of society. We are also counted as one of the important respondents. A group of three persons will come to meet the members of the LIFT to discuss with us on how we exchange our faith and convictions with people of other faith.
• So What? : Your voice will be heard in the Parliament when you spend an hour with them. It's a good time to interact with our European friends on how we try to live our faith and convictions.

Hope to meet you all,

For the CC,

Roy Palatty

Report of LIFT- IV

Date: Tuesday, November 24, 2009 Time: 19 to 21 hrs

Venue: Louis Jannsens Hall, Holy Spirit College, Naamsestraat 40, Leuven

The Fourth meeting of LIFT took place as per the changed date and time decided at the previous meeting. Accordingly the session, under the new leadership of Jobi Patteruparambil took place on Tuesday, November 24, 2009 between 19 and 21 hours at the Holy Spirit College, Leuven.

There were eleven doctoral students in all participating in the session that was moderated effectively by Jeevaraj Lourdhu. An insightful paper on Eucharist: The Source and Centre of the Consecrated Life: A Study in Light of Vita Consecrata and Ecclesia de Eucharistia was presented by Amala Ranikkattu, who has completed her doctoral thesis and is awaiting her public defence in December 2009.

The presentation was followed by an interesting exchange of views on Religious life and its wider place and role in the ecclesial life and mission of the Universal Church and the Church in India, in particular. The specific call of the Religious and that of the Eucharist being the centre of the Church’s life provoked a fierce theological debate and Amala’s careful research in part shed light on this important topic. The actual paper presented at the session could be read at http://lift-leuven.blogspot.com/

In the brief consultation that followed, it was decided to have the next LIFT session on Tuesday, February 09, 2010.

Saji's Paper for LIFT-3, on 22 October 2009

Human voyage to posthuman: ‘end’/end of the humans?

-Saji Mathew Kanayankal

The emergence of new techno-sciences, especially the advent of bio-nanotechnology, Information Technology (IT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) launch the era of a techno-culture, in which machines and artefacts take a major function in the life/existence of humanity. As an emerging expertise, nanotechnology is still on the process of development and it is changing. We observe a lot of ideas, imaginations, fictions; yet some realistic movements as a part of its development. In fact, most of our knowledge about it is speculative, but there are a few latest new ‘realistic’ achievements. With the groundbreaking experiments of Prof. Kevin Warwick, who infringed the barrier between human and machine, the discussions on the application of nanotechnology for human enhancement have entered into a new phase.

Apart from its use in purely technological level, nanotechnologies application in therapy, human enhancement and alteration, promises as well as challenges the humanity. Nanotechnology, which promises but endangers the entire human community, is seen as revolution as well as a danger. On the one hand, it opens enormous benefits to humanity with an increased productivity and creativity, openings and longevity, stronger bodies and minds, and a happier, better and ‘enhanced’ life. However, on the other hand, it challenges with risks, even with the possibilities of deteriorating and degenerating human ingenuity. The emergence of new life forms will not be mere nightmare or fiction. At least a few awaits the arrival of the ‘posthumans’ who will broaden the line of immortality. So to compact and integrate the Christian anthropology with the change and technological advancement is a real challenge today. Thus, we pose certain ethical questions:

1. Who is a human being? Shall we stick on to the age old concepts or should we opt for the new advancements? Homo sapiens/Techno sapiens? What would be the moral status of such a ‘technologically advanced device’?
2. Is it ethically permissible to change the fundamental human nature? If it is for the welfare and benefit of one, why don’t we do it? What is fundamental human nature?
3 The question on human autonomy. (Humans should overcome their own limitations with their intellect, reason and skill. They have to overcome their own evolutionary fates by themselves). The questions: Should humans use their technology to become something other than human? What should be the hermeneutical key to measure the human enhancement?

Clarification of Some Terminologies:

(i) Nanotechnology: “the principle of atom manipulation atom by atom, through control of the structure of matter at molecular level. It entails the ability to build molecular systems with atom–by–atom precision, yielding a variety of nanomachines” (Drexler, The Engines of Creation: The Coming of Nanotechnology). This term can be applied to any technique that works and can be understood in a nanometer level (109 metres). According to the strategy, the effectively human-built nanomachine will be no bigger than a bacterium and probably as small as a virus. It could even be virus. The most important offshoot of nanotechnology is its possibility to manufacture things at a low cost and with no pollution.

(ii) Difference between Therapy/Nano-treatment, Enhancement and Alteration.
(a) Therapy: the prevention or cure of disease, or as the restoration or approximation of return to normal physiological function.
(b) Enhancement: the alteration of individual (or group) characteristics, traits, and abilities (both health- and non-health-related) beyond a measurable baseline of normal function.
(c) Alteration: Altering neurobiological functions. This level is the most controversial since the goal is to transcend biological boundaries through technological means to alter human capacities.

Some Important Notes:

1. The First Transhumanist Declaration: (1999) “Humanity will be radically changed by technology in the future. We foresee the feasibility of redesigning the human condition, including such parameters as the inevitability of aging, limitations on human and artificial intellects, unchosen psychology, suffering, and our confinement to the planet earth.” Available at http://www.transhumanism.org/index.php/WTA/declaration/

2. Experience of the First Cyborg:
Kevin Warwick has taken the first steps on this path, using himself as a guinea pig test subject receiving, by surgical operation, technological implants connected to his central nervous system. “In the years ahead we will witness machines with an intelligence more powerful than that of humans. This will mean that robots, not humans, make all the important decisions. It will be a robot dominated world with dire consequences for humankind.” From http://www.kevinwarwick.com/ICyborg.htm

Suggestive Readings:

Jotterand, Fabrice. “Beyond Therapy and Enhancement: The Alteration of Human Nature.” NanoEthics 2 (2008):15–23.
Lustig, Andre. “Enhancement Technologies and the Person: Christian Perspectives.” Religions and Cultures of East and West: Perspectives on Bioethics, Spring (2008): 41-50.
Lin, Patrick and Fritz Allhoff. “Untangling the Debate: The Ethics of Human Enhancement.”
Nanoethics no 2 (2008) 251–264.
Warwick, Kevin. “The Promise and Threat of Modern Cybernetics,” Southern Medical Journal 100, no 1 (2007): 112-115.
Keenan, James F. “Perfecting Ourselves: On Christian Tradition and Enhancement.” Southern Medical Journal 100, no 1 (2007): 96 -97.