Science and its products enrich our lives but also challenge many established ways of thinking. Some of these challenges have become quite contentious in political and cultural arenas. What roles should scientific theory, and personal and moral values, play in decision making in a democratic society?
This is the focus of “Science Friction: Controversies and Decision Making in a Democracy,” a free conversation with professors Prakash Chenjeri and Charles Welden on Saturday, December 10, 2pm at the Downtown Bend Public Library. This program is hosted by City Club of Central Oregon and Deschutes Public Library with support from the Oxford Hotel and sponsored by Oregon Humanities (formerly Oregon Council for the Humanities). The program is free and open to the public.
Chenjeri is an associate professor of philosophy and director of the Honors Program at Southern Oregon University, where he has been teaching since 1995. He is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Association Philosophy Teachers, and serves on the Ethics Committee at Ashland Community Hospital.
Welden received a B.S. from Tulane University, and an M.S. and Ph.D. from Colorado State University, in plant ecology. He did postdoctoral research at the University of Iowa and Princeton University. Welden’s research interests have centered around the ecology of plant communities, specifically in alpine tundra in the Rocky Mountains, semi-arid shrub lands of western Colorado, and seasonal tropical forest in Panama.
Through the Conversation Project, Oregon Humanities offers free programs that engage community members in thoughtful, challenging conversations about ideas critical to our daily lives and our state’s future. For more information about this free community discussion, or other library programs, please visit the library website at www.deschuteslibrary.org. People with disabilities needing accommodations (alternative formats, seating or auxiliary aides) should contact Liz at 312-1032.
