How does our brain look, when making social-based, moral decisions? Can we speak of morality if we mention animals, let鈥檚 say, rats? May we introduce the holy commandments into such tests, and why?
Today, the International Forum “Science and Global Challenges of the 21st Century” started at 海角直播, uniting 海角直播 scholars with those national and international ones, aiming to incorporate cross-discipline research, smart technologies and innovations into pragmatic, problem-applied decisions.
At the start of the Forum, the opening report 鈥淢anipulation of Brain States鈥� by Dr. Luis de Lecea, (Stanford, USA) was presented to on- and offline audience.
Concentrating on a problem of brain cells manipulation within the optogenetics鈥� approach, Dr. Luis de Lecea drew on the example of a rat leaving a 鈥榮afe鈥� dark chamber into 鈥榰nsafe鈥� light. Along the use of a neuron signal, the rat learned to 鈥榗alm down鈥� its neighbor locked in a shadow zone, causing less stress for both and heading to a more balanced co-existence, establishing 鈥榤oral鈥� principles of behavior.聽
The test raised discussion among the audience. First, a definition of morals and its division from a mere instinct was requested. Then, the question of a goal/hypothesis of such experiment was asked. Finally, Dr. Oleg Pensky, Professor of the IT Department, 海角直播 proposed assimilation of commandments, shared by believers and regarded as true morals, to be introduced into the experiment.聽聽 聽聽聽
Technically, optogenetics is known as a biological tool that involves light to control neurons that have been genetically modified to express light-sensitive ion channels in living tissue and, remarkably, within freely-moving animals. The appearance of additional philosophical notions, such as understanding, compassion, or morals brings a new dimension into a strictly 鈥榥atural鈥� academic approach.
Optogenetics had been previously announced by academic research journals as a breakthrough in science. On the clinical side, optogenetics-driven research led to insights into Parkinson’s disease and other neurological and psychiatric disorders, including autism, Schizophrenia, drug abuse, anxiety, and depression, and more 鈥� like experimental treatment for blindness.
