On Tuesday, 7 February, Nigel Biggar and Timothy Winter will debate, Can the West Live with Islam? at Keble College, University of Oxford.
Both speakers are prominent figures in the national and international conversation about religion in public life. Nigel Biggar is a prominent author and speaker on the contribution of religion to the health of liberal societies, including the development of a concept of ‘public reason’ that permits the engagement of metaphysically contradictory positions. Timothy Winter is a leading British Muslim scholar who has lectured and written widely on Islamic topics including on the contribution of Islam in the West.
When: Tuesday, 7 February, 4.30 for 5.00
Where: Roy Griffiths Room, Keble College, Oxford OX1 3PG
RSVP: Open to all, but limited to 60 participants so book early by emailing KebleTheology@googlemail.com (send one email for each person attending)
Humans have always sought to enhance themselves and their performance. Examples include education, the drinking of coffee, and the choice of reproductive partners whose genes are perceived to be desirable. But now, and increasingly, technology allows for enhancement of a kind and to a degree that call into question the definition of an individual and the relationship of ‘enhanced’ persons to ‘non-enhanced’ persons and to society generally. If person X takes a substance that increases his IQ by 100 points still person X? If the enhancing substance is not available to everyone, what are the political consequences? Is there anything wrong with the use of performance enhancers in sport? What about drugs that improve performance in university examinations? Is it desirable or practicable to ban enhancements of all types? 
