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The McKelvy House Scholars will host a dinner discussion Sunday evening on germ cell genetic alteration.
Dinner will begin 6 p.m. at McKelvy House, 200 High Street; RSVP by Saturday with McKelvy Scholar Creighton Conner ’04 (Lewisburg, Pa.) at connerr@lafayette. Led by McKelvy Scholar Adam Glickman ’04 (Miami, Fla.), a biology major, the discussion will start at 6:30 p.m. and requires no reservations
“Because this kind of genetic alteration would be carried on by the person’s children, there are a number of moral, ethical, and scientific concerns,” says Glickman. “Some of the questions I’d like to deal with are: Is this a good idea in the long run; can it be stopped and should it? Does this mean that artificial selection will replace natural selection as the dominant genetic force acting on the human race? Is this just the next step in evolution, and if we take that step, will we even remain human?”
“Hopefully, this will be an interesting an lively discussion,” he adds.
Since 1962, the McKelvy House Scholars program has brought together Lafayette students with a wide range of majors and interests to reside in a historic off-campus house and share in intellectual and social activities. Weekly Sunday dinner discussions that engage the students in debate and exchange of ideas are the hallmark of the program. Most members also contribute to the annual McKelvy Papers, written on a topic of each person’s choice. McKelvy Scholars participate in activities together such as field trips to plays, concerts, and exhibits, and sponsor events for the campus as well.
Past discussions:
Oct. 26 — Social construction of gender
Oct. 19 — Greed as an economic force
Sept. 28 — Value