FDIGS is a workshop of The International Society for History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Biology, and is sponsored by the

1. • WUSTL Department of Philosophy
   

2. • WUSTL Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology program
   

3. • WUSTL Center for Programs

What is the link between genes and behavior? How does our genotype interact with our environment to produce behavior? What methods are available to investigate these questions? What are the societal and philosophical implications of discovering such links? Is asking these questions a fruitful enterprise to begin with?

The Future Directions in Genetics Studies Graduate Training Workshop (FDIGS) will help graduate students grapple with these and other related questions. FDIGS is an off-year workshop of the International Society for the History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Biology (ISHPSSB). The workshop is focused on the new frontier between genetics and genomics on one hand and neuroscience and psychology on the other. This frontier is developing new and exciting research paradigms in behavioral and psychiatric genetics, genetical neuroscience, social neuroscience, developmental psychobiology and behavioral epigenetics. FDIGS will provide a forum for graduate students to explore the philosophical, historical and social significance of this new research interface.

Over twenty researchers of distinction are invited to give plenary talks addressing the specific questions: What, if any, relationship is there between genes and behavior? Can genetic and genomic knowledge improve our ability to predict behavior? Does it even make sense to talk of genes, let along genes giving rise to behavior? How does the environment affect gene expression? What are the ethical issues raised by the possibility of this sort of knowledge? How should research at the interface between genetics and neuroscience best be conducted? How can philosophers, historians, sociologists, and geneticists collaborate to contribute to the future viability of genetic studies?

By bringing together researchers working in HPS, neuroscience and genetics, FDIGS seeks to explore new avenues for history, philosophy and social studies of science research by exploring the interface of neuroscience and genetics. Moreover, FDIGS will bring graduate students of different fields together to discuss their research and gain fresh perspectives on their work.

The desired result of this workshop is to help students make contact with cutting edge research, to see that their work can have broad appeal, and to encourage them to make their research accessible to those in other fields that could benefit from their work.

FDIGS is the third in a series of graduate training workshops held on the off-year of the biennial meetings of the International Society for the History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Biology (ISHPSSB), and hosted by the Department of Philosophy at Washington University in St Louis (WUSTL). The workshop will be held in St Louis Missouri, on 6–10 August 2008. The purpose of the workshop is to provide cutting edge graduate training on topics in the history, philosophy, and social studies of biology. Washington University in St Louis has well-established strengths in neuroscience, genetics, psychology, and the philosophy of neuroscience and psychology. Further, Washington University has long been a pioneer of interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly collaboration that spans the humanities and sciences.

FDIGS is sponsored by:

1. •The National Science Foundation, award number SES-0824421
   

2. •WUSTL Department of Philosophy
   

3. •WUSTL Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology program
   

4. •WUSTL Center for Programs
   

5. •The International Society for the History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Biology
   

6. •WUSTL Department of Biology
   

FDIGS is organized by:

1. •Ellen Clarke (Univeristy of Bristol)
   

2. •Don Goodman-Wilson (Washington University in St Louis)
   

3. •Sarah Robins (Washington University in St Louis)
   

with assistance, advice and oversight from:

1. •Carl Craver (Washington University in St Louis)
   

2. •Lindley Darden (University of Maryland)
   

Download the workshop poster here.

1. Brookings Hall

1. The Gateway Arch