F o r D i s c u s s i o n : W h at D o e s i t M e a n t o b e H u m a n ?
possessing a corner on the whole truth,” said Barnard. “The landscape of higher education must change to meet this challenge,” he said. “I view our group, in part, as an incubator for the change needed. Difficult conversations across radically distinct disciplinary divides have immeasurable value in moving higher education in that direction.” Mitchell finds it helpful to understand terminology and methodology across disciplines, something this kind of group makes possible. “Because we use different language to discuss our subjects and interests, clarifying our terminology and trying to come up with common language is an important part of the process of trying to understand one another from the context of our discipline.” “All of our questions focus on emerging concerns and are futureoriented. We are exploring ways that emerging biotechnology challenges our understanding of what it means to be human,” Mitchell said. “Can you really upload human consciousness into a computer, as some people are suggesting we ought? Is it 1) possible? 2) desirable? What do we lose, and what do we gain if we do that?” As engaging as the conversations are, their words will not remain casually around the table in the coffee house. “What difference do our ideas make in
the world? How do we bring those ideas into the marketplace of ideas?” Out of the conversations have come a couple of specific things, including collaboration on a paper for presentation at a professional conference and a journal article with public policy implications. “We are looking at how to translate ethical reflections into public policy recommendations and asking to what extent Christian perspectives can be brought into public policy,” Mitchell said, “because of our conviction that the Christian intellectual tradition does have something to offer culture.” “The discussion also affects the classroom because it enriches our own lecturing and engagement in the classroom and it deepens our respect for our colleagues in their disciplines,” Mitchell said. “It’s so important in my life at Union; I can’t imagine getting to a place where we can just stop.” The group carefully selected a meeting place that is popular with students. “It’s important for students to see faculty across the disciplines getting together,” Mitchell explained. “Hopefully that will encourage them that faculty can have these kinds of discussions, and also be a model that will encourage them to have these kinds of conversations themselves.”
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