Values and Empathy across Social Barriers: A Neurocognitive Approach to Fairness

From Stephanie West Allen’s blog on Neuroscience and conflict resolution .

A conference with that title will be held later this year. From the New York Academy of Sciences Web site:

What makes suicide bombers capable of sacrificing themselves for a belief? Why do members of one race believe they are superior to another? How do subliminal messages affect the outcome of political polling? Using the tools of neuroscience and social science, researchers have learned a great deal about the brain's role in human behavior and interactions. This November, international scientific leaders and young investigators will convene for the first Barcelona Social Brain Conference, an exciting two-day event featuring talks, poster presentations, and a public lecture on the interdisciplinary field of social neuroscience. Through a neuroscientific lens, participants will examine the human qualities of empathy, sacred values, and cooperation, and focus on the ways in which what they learn can be used to understand human conflicts.

The program includes some excellent presenters, including Kevin Ochsner, Elizabeth Phelps, and Susan Fiske.

                       

Stephanie West Allen

Stephanie West Allen, JD, practiced law in California for several years, held offices in local bar associations, and wrote chapters for California Continuing Education of the Bar. While in CA, Stephanie completed several five-day mediation training programs with the Center for Mediation in Law, as well as a two-year intensive… MORE >