Forthcoming Events
- IoI Forum
- Science & Health Forum
- Venue: London
- Date: Ongoing
The Institute of Ideas Science & Health Forum is an initiative aimed at professionals and other individuals with a strong interest in critical discussion of contemporary attitudes towards science, health and the environment.
Following a series of debates at the Battle of Ideas 2007 the forum is especially concerned with the way that science is currently invoked as the last word on everything from climate change to nutrition, parenting and even criminal justice and discussing whether this is good for science or society. Individuals involved with the forum are keen to defend an enlightenment conception of science that recognises the power of the experimental method and the importance of an open-ended approach towards experimentation and testing ideas.
Issues of particular interest to the forum are:
- The role of scientific expertise and the politicisation of science.
- Risk and the exaggeration of environmental and health related ‘problems’.
- Political opportunism with regard to ‘lay expertise’ and ‘patient choice’.
- Public health, awareness raising and the ‘medicalisation’ of society.
- What it means to be human and the blurring of the distinction between humans and the animal kingdom.
Forum meetings are not public events and are intended for individuals who share our concerns. They are by invitation only. To find out more about the forum and to enquire about attendance please email: science@instituteofideas.com giving your contact details and brief information about your professional role and/or interests.
For an archive of past forums (pre-2008) click here.
Forthcoming meetings
Date & details TBA
Past meetings
Wednesday 21 May
The forum discussed data-sharing for public health and medical research purposes
Wednesday 20 February 2008
The forum had a very fruitful discussion on alcohol and examined the Nuffield Council on Bioethics’ report ‘Public health: ethical issues’ of November 2007 that argues government should implement tougher measures to tackle excessive drinking.