Grant D. Vallance
Research Student

Education

B.Sci (Hons) in Biochemistry, University of Otago, New Zealand, 1993.
M.Heal.Sci. in Bioethics, University of Otago, New Zealand, 1998.

Biographical Statement

I have been a student for most of my adult life; consequently my chief ambition presently is to stop. As Soon As Possible. However, while being a student I have had many adventures. These include: getting married; having two gorgeous children; and living in a number of different countries from the one born in; not to mention working for some interesting characters.

If my academic career has a theme or motif it must be the interaction between epistemology and ethics – between what we know and what we ought to do with this knowledge. My first degree inducted me into a branch of the natural sciences (biology and chemistry). These, arguably, are the pre-eminent epistemological system humanity has discovered/invented to date. I moved into bioethics because by the end of my training I had been taught about how to genetically modify living organisms, yet my training did not devote any time to the question, "Should we do so?" This question seemed relevant, clearly neglected, and much more interesting. In the end, while I did not pursue this question in my masters work, I did look at the application of virtue ethics to what I saw as the fundamental ethical issues facing the natural sciences. And now my Ph.D. work examines the question, "Do the natural sciences ground the moral judgement of human beings?" The brief answer is, "No, they do not."

My research interests include: (1) normative theory – especially virtue ethics; (2) metaethics; (3) applied ethics including the issues of euthanasia, research involving human beings, genetics, informed consent; and the (4) Philosophy of Science – especially focusing on the relationship between the sciences and ethics and their metaphysical commitments.

Publications:

(a) Book Reviews

Keller, Evelyn Fox. Making Sense of Life: Explaining Biological Development with Models, Metaphors, and Machines in New Genetics & Society, 22 (2), 2003, 189-190.

Moss, Lenny. What Genes Can't Do in New Genetics & Society, 23 (1), 2004, 125-126.

Oyama, Susan, Paul E. Griffiths, and Russell D. Gray, eds. Cycles of Contingency in New Genetics and Society, 21 (3), 2002, 354-355.

Beurton, Peter, Rapheal Falk, and Hans-Jörg Rheinberger, eds. The Concept of the Gene in Development and Evolution: Historical and Epistemological Perspectives in New Genetics and Society, 21 (2), 2002, 253-254.

Cooper, David K. C., and Robert P. Lanza. Xeno: The Promise of Transplanting Animal Organs into Humans in New Genetics and Society, 20 (3), 2001, 277-278.

Avise, John C. The Genetic Gods: Evolution and Belief in Human Affairs, in New Genetics and Society, 20 (1), 2001, 89-90

(b) Articles [not Peer-reviewed]

‘Death, dying, and euthanasia’ Stimulus 5(2) 1997.

‘Ethical issues in obtaining informed consent and the right to refuse treatment in the emergency context’ Otago Bioethics Report 5(3) 1996, 12-14.

‘Euthanasia’ Stimulus 4(2) 1996, 23-24.

Awards

• 1994/1995 Health Research Council Summer Studentship in Ethics
• 2002-2005 Open University Full-Time Research Studentship

Teaching Experience

• Tutor for ‘Humane Basis of Medicine’ course, University of Bristol (2002, 2005, 2006, 2007). (A first-year introduction to medical students to medical ethics.)
• Co-taught a course on ‘Ethical Review of Qualitative Research’ for the Broadmore Local Research Ethics Committee (2003).
• Tutor in bioethics (various topics) to medical students (at various stages).

Submissions

Nuffield Council of Bioethics consultation on Genetics and behaviour: the ethical context.

Committees

• Thames Valley Multi-Centre Research Ethics Committee (2002-Present)
• Various Local Research Ethics Committees in Oxford (2002-2005)

Contact Details

grant.vallance@gmail.com