Relationship Between Science and Religion Topic of Public Lecture at the University of Dallas

University of Dallas Press Release 

Vatican Astronomer Guy Consolmagno to Deliver Address on March 6

(Irving, Texas – Feb. 6, 2008) – The University of Dallas will sponsor a public lecture by Guy Consolmagno, S.J., distinguished scientist and major interpreter of the relationship between science and religion, on Thursday, March 6, 2008. The lecture, “How Scientists Think About Religion,” will be held from 3:30 – 5 p.m. in the Gorman Lecture Center, Room A, on the University’s Irving campus located at 1845 E. Northgate Dr. in Irving. The lecture is free and seating is limited.

“Bro. Guy is both a first rate scientist and a man committed to living the faithful, reflective, religious life of a Jesuit brother,” said Dr. William Frank, professor of philosophy at UD and lecture organizer. “He is a living witness of the compatibility of scientific inquiry and Christian faith. It is an important part of wisdom to understand that compatibility of faith and reason.”

Consolmagno has been an astronomer at the Vatican Observatory since 1993 and is currently the curator of the Vatican meteorite collection in Castel Gandolfo, one of the largest in the world. He has coauthored five astronomy books: Turn Left at Orion (Cambridge University Press, 1989); Worlds Apart (Prentice Hall, 1993); The Way to the Dwelling of Light (U of Notre Dame Press, 1998); Brother Astronomer (McGraw Hill, 2000); and God's Mechanics: How Scientists and Engineers Make Sense of Religion (Jossey-Bass, 2007). He has also published more than 100 scientific papers.

Consolmagno obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Earth and Planetary Sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and his Ph.D. in Planetary Science from the University of Arizona. After taking his vows as a Jesuit brother, he studied philosophy, theology, and physics before his assignment to the Vatican Observatory.

The public lecture by Consolmagno, sponsored by the University of Dallas Departments of Physics, Philosophy, and Theology, is part of a three-day visit to the University of Dallas. In addition to the lecture, he will be leading discussions in selected classes and meeting with students and faculty.

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The controversy of the Hybrid Human

How would we classify this new Chimera?1 This is something worth pondering because of the impact and implications this will have on ethics, science and life in general.

Early embryos yield stem cells UK scientists planning to mix human and animal cells in order to research cures for degenerative diseases fear their work will be halted. They accuse the body that grants licences for embryo research, the HFEA, of bowing to government pressure if it fails to consider their applications. Ministers proposed outlawing such work after unfavourable public opinion. PM Tony Blair said any new law would have "flexibility" to support scientific research that helped people. He said there were "difficult" issues surrounding creating the embryos, which are more than 99% human but have a small animal component. He added: "I’m sure that research that’s really going to save lives and improve the quality of life will be able to go forward." The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is to discuss if two research requests come under its remit. To shut this down at the moment is a real affront to patients Stem cell scientist Professor Chris Shaw Why create chimeras? Q&A: Hybrid embryos The creation of hybrid human-animal embryos was first suggested as a way of addressing the shortage of human eggs available for research. But the HFEA says it is unresolved whether this type of controversial work is permissible under existing laws - or even whether it falls under the HFEA’s jurisdiction to grant a licence. Opponents say the work tampers with nature and is unethical. The researchers have called for greater understanding of what they are trying to achieve. Public opposition The public was consulted on hybrid embryo work among other issues for an overhaul of outdated laws on fertility treatments and embryo research. Ministers felt the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 needed to be updated as science has moved on significantly. HAVE YOUR SAY Both my aunt and my mother suffered from Alzheimer’s and I applaud any reasonable developments that will cure this terrible illness John Sykes, Nottingham Send us your comments Why are ministers opposed? The new white paper says scientists will be able to push forward research in some areas, such as altering the genetic structure of cells that make embryos. But government proposes prohibiting them from making human-animal hybrids or so-called "chimeras" - where genetic material is taken from humans and put into a host animal egg. That is then allowed to grow to a very early embryo stage in the lab as a source of stem cells for research. ‘Hybrids’ Scientists are hopeful that studies on stem cells - immature cells that can become many types of tissue - could lead to greater understanding and even a cure for many diseases, including Alzheimer’s. They say using human-animal mixes rather than human eggs to get the stem cells makes sense because human eggs are in short supply, plus the process is less cumbersome and yields better results. Professor Chris Shaw from Kings College London, along with his colleague Dr Stephen Minger, has applied for a licence for stem cell work on Motor Neurone Disease. We hope that the HFEA has found this is one hurdle too many and they are not prepared to jump over it Josephine Quintavalle of CORE ethics He said: "To shut this down at the moment is a real affront to patients. We do not have a single drug that makes a difference to the disease course." Dr Minger, who hopes to look at the genetic causes of conditions like Parkinson’s disease, said he had been told that the HFEA was unlikely to grant his application. A second team of scientists, led by Professor Lyle Armstrong at Newcastle University, has applied to research how different tissues grow in the body. Dr Evan Harris MP, Liberal Democrat member of the Science and Technology Select Committee, warned there would be fierce opposition from scientists and parliamentarians to any draft bill which included such a ban. Scientific progress An HFEA spokesman said: "We need to decide whether the law prohibits this research, whether it falls under our remit at all, and then we can look at whether we have a fundamental view on this type of research. "We have a duty to consider any application put before us." If the HFEA decides it is outside its remit, the scientists will not legally need a licence to continue with their work. A spokesman for the Department of Health stressed that the new law, which still needs to be debated in Parliament, would contain a clause allowing for the possibility that this type of work should be permitted in the future. Josephine Quintavalle, of CORE ethics, said: "This is creating an animal-human hybrid and that has to be acknowledged as something that does not meet with approval. "We hope that the HFEA has found this is one hurdle too many and they are not prepared to jump over it." 1. Wikipedia - Chimera (genetics) In biological research, chimeras are artificially produced by mixing cells from two different organisms. This can result in the eventual development of an adult animal composed of cells from both donors, which may be of different species — for example, in 1984 a chimeric geep was produced by combining embryos from a goat and a sheep[3]. A chicken with a quail’s brain has been produced by grafting portions of a quail embryo into a chicken

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There goes a great piece of software

"From Daily Tech News" Kernel expert Mark Russinovich becomes a Microsoft Technical Fellow

Microsoft announced this week that it has acquired Windows utility and recovery company Winternals. The exact details of the deal were not disclosed, but Microsoft and Winternals say that the expertise in data recovery, management and protection exhibited by Winternals software was something that Microsoft had been keeping an eye on for quite some time.

 

The Microsoft team was also interested in Mark Russinovich, widely regarded as one of the industry’s top kernel experts. Russinovich along with Bryce Cogswell founded Winternals in 1996 and since then have established themselves as industry leaders. Microsoft co-president of platforms and services Jim Allchin said “I’ve had my eye on Mark for some time. The work he and Bryce have completed in system recovery and data protection illustrates the depth of thinking and skill they will bring to future versions of Windows.”

 

internals announced that current customers will not experience delays or interruptions in their services. The two companies also made clear that Winternals’ products will be finding much of their way into Windows through integration.

Microsoft also announced that Russinovich will be appointed as a Microsoft Technical Fellow, a title “awarded to someone whose technical vision, expertise, and world-class leadership is widely recognized.” Microsoft currently has 14 Technical Fellows. Analysts are hoping that Russinovich and Cogswell will each add to the stability and security of future versions of Windows.

 

Sysinternals is an enthusiast community website owned by Winternals for those who are interested in the inner workings of Windows.

Well, it was good while it lasted. Funny thing is that the site seems to be bogged down because everybody is probably downloadding the free software while its up before the MS monster snatches it away. I just noticed that a lot of people are not happy either. Just look at these comments:

YOu can be sure that all the sysinternals tools will now become “validate your copy before download” only.
Well that’s a shame. On the other hand if we can get rid of the silly taskmanager and get procexp kind of tools built-in, that may be the saving grace.
Good luck Mark. Hopefully they’ll let you do things you’d like to do as opposed to absorbing you into their bureaucracy.

# posted by Anonymous : 10:35 AM, July 18, 2006

 

I hope this doesn’t mean no more Sysinternals freeware!

# posted by Anonymous : 10:46 AM, July 18, 2006

 

You drank the Kool-Aid

All I can do is scream “WHY?!” like Nancy Kerrigan.

# posted by Anonymous : 10:52 AM, July 18, 2006

 

Congrats, hopefully you will be able to shape things well while you are there. I for one mourn the loss of your independence from MS however.

# posted by Red_Eye : 10:53 AM, July 18, 2006

 

Congratulations! I always figured this would inevitably happen someday.

# posted by haacked : 10:54 AM, July 18, 2006

 

Congratulation to you both! This is good news for Microsoft users, and your announcement seems to indicate just how happy your are as well. I hope that all the wonderful innovation that you’ve made available to us will make it into Microsoft products, and that they make good use of your skills. I can’t imagine either of you being happy any other way.

# posted by Anonymous : 10:56 AM, July 18, 2006

 

Microsoft definitely knows how to attract talents and technology again! What an excellent addition for Microsoft - I hope that doesn’t mean less innovation in tools in the future. Your tools (speaking of Sysinternals) are so much better than the Resource Kit tools because it simplifies everything…you have an excellent presentation GUI version or command line version. Hope this carries over to the Resource Kit tools and innovations.

# posted by Anonymous : 10:58 AM, July 18, 2006

 

Congratulations.

It makes sense, I suppose, though it seems like such a shame.

# posted by Anonymous : 10:59 AM, July 18, 2006

 

I can see this becoming an an end of an era when sysinternals closes, and in a way we could see this coming.

Congratulations to you both.

# posted by Anonymous : 11:07 AM, July 18, 2006

 

Congrats!

Your tools are obviously better than MS’s. They wouldn’t acquire u otherwise. Let’s hope MS always remembers and let you do what you do best.

# posted by Anonymous : 11:13 AM, July 18, 2006

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Thomist Tacos for the Soul

Firefox + Blogger templates = Not fully functioning. Not sure why the backgroung images are not showing but I will take a look at it this weekend. If anyone has any resources as to better blogger templates plz let me know.

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