Curtis L. Carlson Centennial Lecture Series
Dr. Torsten Wiesel, "Science as an Instrument for Peace"
Monday, October 3, 2011
Scandinavia House, New York, NY
The Curtis L. Carlson Distinguished Lecture series was created by the Carlson Family Foundation to support public discourse on important policy issues. In honor of the ASF Centennial, the lecture series features Nobel Prize laureates who represent the highest ideals of service to mankind. The spring 2011 installments of this series featured Martti Ahtisaari, former President of the Republic of Finland and Kofi Annan, the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations.
It is difficult to talk about peace without talking about war. But how is it possible to have a serious discussion about science and peace in the confused world in which we live? Daily we learn about killings in different wars and insurrections, attacks and madness of suicide bombers, the collapse of the world economy, global warming, and statistics showing that nearly half of the world population lives on less than $2 a day.
As a child in Sweden in the 1930s, Dr. Wiesel witnessed the events that led to the Second World War and observed the increasing tensions among the leaders and the people of different countries. As a neuroscientist now, he is particularly conscious of the potential contributions to the prevention of war that can be made through better understanding of how the mind works and how it influences behavior -- especially as it relates to aggression and violence. By fostering positive alliances across races, cultures, and religions, tensions and barriers that could otherwise lead to war can be reduced. In the world of science, this interaction occurs naturally because the language of science crosses races, cultures, and religions. Touching upon specific examples of scientists whose work has served the cause of peace, Wiesel's talk will be devoted to the ways in which science can be an instrument of peace.
