Photo Credit: Science Centre Singapore
Science Centre Singapore (SCS) and the Bioethics Advisory Committee (BAC) today unveiled Bioethics: We Could, But Should We?, an interactive exhibition that seeks to elevate public understanding about bioethics amid an era of scientific innovation and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)-powered breakthroughs. Developed in collaboration with the BAC and supported by the Ministry of Health (MOH), the new exhibition brings to life complex ethical scenarios posed by today’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) and MedTech evolutions.
In a rapidly advancing era of biomedical research where possibilities seem boundless and STEM innovations have unlocked novel prospects, the exhibition encourages the viewer to consider the ethical implications of these advances and how human lives might be altered if ethical considerations are neglected. The exhibition is an invitation to contribute to the dialogue, and foster an understanding of the ethical principles that guides journeys into uncharted territories of biomedical exploration.
The latest exhibition is featuring four immersive dioramas around the themes of AI in healthcare, gene editing, biological self-experimentation and brain organoid research. Each diorama presents a compelling narrative on the ethical dilemmas posed by the respective cutting-edge advancements and bring to life examples of complex ethical scenarios on AI controlled robotic surgeries, gene editing in human embryos, biological self-experimentation for enhancement, and use of brain organoids in biomedical research.
Though the dioramas portray possible futures, they largely consist of technologies already available today or are well within reach. The possible futures depend more on whether regulations permit or forbid the development and application of new technologies.
Associate Professor Lim Tit Meng, Chief Executive of Science Centre Board said, “In our quest for biomedical progress, it is key to remember that innovations extend beyond science alone. Our mission is not just to showcase the wonders of science, but to evoke contemplation and raise ethical awareness. Exhibition will act as a catalyst for informed dialogue on the ethical dimensions of scientific progress and invite us to think ‘what we should do' in the pursuit of biomedical knowledge.
"Emeritus Professor Lee Eng Hin, Chair of the Bioethics Advisory Committee said, “By collaborating with SCS on an exhibition that actively engages the public in ethical discourse on biomedical research we aim to enhance public education and raise awareness of bioethics among members of the public in Singapore”.
