At first glance, Western humanism, Japanese Buddhism and modern science have so little in common that the very idea of seeking common ground through dialogue seems overly idealistic. Only a man the calibre of Daisaku Ikeda could bring such a project to fruition.

Firmly setting aside cliché and facile answers, he broaches the grand questions that face today's society: cancer, aids, death with dignity, in vitro fertilization, biomedical ethics… The responses offered by René Simard, molecular biologist and geneticist, and Guy Bourgeault, bioethicist, are insight-ful and compelling. Their discussions cut through linguistic and cultural barriers to present a vision of the potential -- an the inherent challenges -- of being human.