Neuroenhancement

PD Dr. Jan-Hendrik Heinrichs; Dr. Markus Rüther; Mandy Stake; Julia Ihde

doi:10.5771/9783495999615

Summary

Neuroenhancement concerns the improvement of a person’s mental properties, abilities, and performance. The various techniques of neuroenhancement offer new opportunities of such improvement, but also come with substantive perils. Neuroenhancement thus involves significant normative challenges for individual persons as well as for society as a whole. This expert report provides a concise overview of the contemporary debate on neuroenhancement. It discusses the definition, techniques and targets of neuroenhancement and examines arguments for and against it at the level of individual persons, social interaction, and social policy.

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Bibliographic data

Copyright year: 2022
ISBN-Print: 978-3-495-49180-5
ISBN-Online: 978-3-495-99961-5
Publisher: Karl Alber, Baden-Baden
Series: Ethik in den Biowissenschaften
Volume: 21
Language: English
Pages: 118
Product type: Book Titles

Titelei/InhaltsverzeichnisPages 1 - 8 Download chapter (PDF)
PrefacePages 9 - 12 Download chapter (PDF)
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1. 1. Definition
2. 2. Possible targets of neuroenhancement and the measurability of its effects
3. 1. 1. 3.1.1 Everyday substances and dietary supplements
    2. 3.1.2 (Psycho-)Pharmaceuticals
    3. 3.1.3 ›Microdosing‹
    4. 3.1.4 Genetic editing
  2. 1. 3.2.1 Brain stimulation
    2. 3.2.2 Biohacking devices
  3. 1. 3.3.1 Sleep
    2. 3.3.2 Physical exercise
    3. 3.3.3 Cultural activities
    4. 3.3.4 Cognitive training techniques
4. References
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1. 1. Introduction
2. 2. What can be enhanced? On the targets of (neuro-)enhancement
3. 3. How to enhance? On the means of enhancement
4. 1. 4.1 ›Beyond therapy‹-strand
  2. 4.2 ›Beyond species-typical functioning‹-strand
  3. 4.3 Welfarism
  4. 4.4 Umbrella term
  5. 4.5 Commonalities
5. 1. 1. 1. 5.1.1.1 Improved welfare
      2. 5.1.1.2 Means of leading an authentic life
      3. 5.1.1.3 Support of character and virtue development
    2. 1. 5.1.2.1 Adverse (and long-term) effects
      2. 5.1.2.2 Fraudulent happiness
      3. 5.1.2.3 Negative impact of enhanced traits
      4. 5.1.2.4 Loss of authenticity
      5. 5.1.2.5 Human Nature and its components
      6. 5.1.2.6 Limits to the development of character and virtues
      7. 5.1.2.7 Hubris and playing god
  2. 1. 1. 5.2.1.1 The emotional basis of social interaction
    2. 1. 5.2.2.1 Social disruption
      2. 5.2.2.2 Coercion to enhance and rising standards
      3. 5.2.2.3 Complicity and its consequences
      4. 5.2.2.4 Complicity and its intrinsic badness
      5. 5.2.2.5 Cheating
  3. 1. 1. 5.3.1.1 Mitigation of global catastrophic risks
      2. 5.3.1.2 Creation of social value
      3. 5.3.1.3 Creation of equality of chances
    2. 1. 5.3.2.1 Discrimination of the enhanced / unenhanced
      2. 5.3.2.2 Coercion to enhance and rising standards
      3. 5.3.2.3 Enhancement divide
      4. 5.3.2.4 Lack of social fit, supremacy and discrimination
      5. 5.3.2.5 Division of species
      6. 5.3.2.6 Too much social homogeneity and lack of diversity
      7. 5.3.2.7 Competition for social resources
      8. 5.3.2.8 Non-autonomous enhancement (military etc.)
      9. 5.3.2.9 Changing an already optimal human nature
6. 1. 6.1 Summary: What is the enhancement debate all about?
  2. 1. 6.2.1 The placeholder-debates
    2. 6.2.2 The decisive reason assumption of the restrictive views
    3. 6.2.3 The burden of proof strategy of the permissive views
    4. 6.2.4 Lack of transparency in ethical grounding
  3. 6.3 Final thoughts
7. References
Contact DetailsPages 118 - 118 Download chapter (PDF)