With a new school year under way, once again educators, students, and parents are worrying about the impact of "smart drugs" on campus. The off-label use of drugs like Adderall and Ritalin - use without a prescription - is becoming increasingly popular among college students hoping to get ahead. But is this cheating? Should their use as cognitive enhancers be approved by the FDA, the medical community, and society at large? Do the benefits outweigh the risks? On Monday, November 2, Intelligence Squared U.S. hosts a live debate on the motion "College Students Should Be Allowed to Take Smart Drugs."
Prestigious non-partisan debate series Intelligence Squared U.S. will celebrate its 10th anniversary next year, having put on over 100 debates since its 2006 founding. This particular debate marks IQ2US's sixth appearance in Washington DC as they bring their award-winning debates to more and more cities across the country (including NYC, Philadelphia, Chicago, LA, Boston, and Aspen). Presented in partnership with the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), this debate will feature four renowned doctors and bioethicists debating the merits and risks of students taking "smart drugs" to study harder.
The debate will stream live online, then air soon after as part of the syndicated public radio show and podcast "Intelligence Squared U.S." On November 2, online viewers can tune in here (http://bit.ly/1FDFCN7) or via IQ2's app (http://shorefi.re/VTwKwx)
WHAT: Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates "College Students Should Be Allowed to Take Smart Drugs"
WHEN: Mon, November 2, 2015 / Reception 5:00-5:45 / Debate 6:00-7:30 PM
WHERE: Jack Morton Auditorium @ George Washington University (in the School of Media and Public Affairs) / 805 21st St NW / Washington, D.C. 20052
TICKETS: $30 (free for students w/ ID and GW alumni). To purchase, visit http://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/
Arguing for the motion:
* Dr. Anjan Chatterjee: Professor, UPenn & Chair of Neurology, Pennsylvania Hospital
Dr. Anjan Chatterjee is the Frank A. and Gwladys H. Elliott Professor and Chair of Neurology at Pennsylvania Hospital. He was awarded the 2002 Norman Geschwind Prize in Cognitive Neurology by the American Academy of Neurology. He is a founding member of the Board of Governors of the Neuroethics Society, the past president of the International Association of Empirical Aesthetics, and the past president of the Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology Society.
* Nita Farahany: Professor, Duke University & Director, Duke Science & Society
Nita Farahany is a leading scholar on the ethical, legal, and social implications of biosciences and emerging technologies, particularly those related to neuroscience and behavioral genetics. At Duke University, she is the director of Duke Science & Society, the Duke MA in Bioethics & Science Policy, and a professor of law and philosophy. In 2010, she was appointed by President Obama to the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues, and continues to serve as a member.
Arguing against the motion:
* Dr. Eric Racine: Director, Neuroethics Research Unit, IRCM
Dr. Eric Racine is the director of the Neuroethics Research Unit and associate research professor at the IRCM (Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal). He also holds academic appointments at the University of Montreal (Bioethics and Medicine) and McGill University (Neurology and Neurosurgery and Bioethics). The author of Pragmatic Neuroethics, Racine is a pioneer researcher in neuroethics and a prolific author of peer-reviewed papers, chapters, and columns published in leading bioethics, neuroscience, social science, and medical journals.
* Nicole Vincent: Assoc. Prof. of Philosophy, Law, and Neuroscience, Georgia State University
Nicole Vincent obtained her PhD in the philosophy of tort law in 2007 from the University of Adelaide in Australia. She subsequently spent three years in the Netherlands working on a project entitled "The Brain and The Law,” before returning to Australia for another three years to kick start the Australian Neurolaw Database project. In 2013 she joined Georgia State University as associate professor of philosophy, law, and neuroscience.
