Robert Winston, Professor of Fertility Studies at Hammersmith and a pioneer of IVF studies, is well known for his often trenchant views on his many interests. Following the year in which Dolly the sheep had been cloned, and in which an unknown and presumably wildly optimistic physicist had promised to do the same for humans, Robert Winston had a solidly attentive audience, expecting clear guidance on a number of genetic issues. They were not disappointed.
Lord Winston started historically, relating some of the earliest ethical views of human reproduction as well as the story of Jacob and Laban and their sheep (Genesis 31), an early example of genetic manipulation. From this he moved on to IVF, genetic engineering, the scientific illiteracy which means that such advances are often misrepresented, and the degree to which ethics must guide science.
The effects of genetic engineering are frequently presented in a 'Brave New World' context; it is as if the techniques are so solid that enormous changes can be brought about simply by fiddling around with the genes. The genes have to be expressed, however; their effects have to be seen. The introduction of a gene does not necessarily mean that that trait will appear in the organism; not only is the success rate often low (in many cases less than 1%) but is also extremely expensive.
This may be true now. But technology improves, and science develops, and perhaps one day the problems of gene expression will be overcome. IVF, for example, is still a less-than- certain technique but is much better than it was. The ethical problems must therefore be considered.
Ethics in science is often presented as something which the scientist is not equipped to consider. The scientists are seen, sometimes by themselves, as totally dispassionate observers of nature, value-free. This is nonsense; scientists are people, with creative urges, prejudice, emotion, excitement and self deception present in their work, just like everybody else. To be sure there are some constraints - a scientific theory must bear some relationship to perceived reality, after all - but the scientist who ignores or disdains the ethical implications of the science does so at considerable peril. Apart from anything else, the science may then seem more of a threat than it really is. Thus Robert Winston addressed the ethical problems of his interests and, quite properly, offered no pre-digested solutions. He was eloquent on one particular concern, shared strongly by me, which is that the problem of general scientific illiteracy in the population at large militates against sensible public discussion of the issues. This is despite an enormous increase in scientific education; I wish I could report that either of us had a solution.
The purpose of the Tizard Lecture is to inform, but more it is to challenge. The success of it is measured largely by the amount of post-lecture discussion that occurs. On this test, Robert Winston scored a considerable success, and one achieved with much modesty and self- effacement. We were privileged to hear him.
Rod Beavon
If you would like an invitation to the 1999 Tizard Lecture and are not currently on the mailing list, please send your name and address to Dr Rod Beavon, 17 Dean's Yard, London, SW1P 3PB.
In Mathematics, Jonathan Monroe (AH) reached the Final in 1997 and 1998 and Mohan Ganesalingam (QS) is in the National Team this year.
In Computing, Mohan was in the National Team last year, and is this year.
In Physics, Jonathan was in the National Team last year and both he and Mohan reached the Final this year and would have been in the team but for a clash of dates with their other commitments.
In Chemistry, Jonathan is in the National Team this year.
It has been a great privilege to have two such remarkable boys in the School, and I am sure we will have more to be proud of them for in the future, at Cambridge and beyond.
Many of our other students have also done extremely well: in this year's Physics Olympiad, Murray Rogers (HH) obtained a Gold medal; in Mathematics, Alexander Imboden (QS) was in the top 25 nationally and in the Computing, Nicholas Krempel (AH), who is only in the Fifth Form, would have been invited to the final, but for his age.
A Biology Olympiad has also recently been set up, and Westminster has entered this for two years with an impressive degree of success. In 1997 Dora Wood reached the final ten nationally and we won the School Shield for the best overall results, and this year Davina Bristow (LL), Jacob Kenedy (DD), Miles Copeland (BB) and Meera Kumar (PP) all won Gold Medals.
Michael Davies