Biological Debate

Question 1

Neuroimaging is ethical

Answer 1

Raine showed how they can be useful for objectively identifying criminals’ insanity plea

MRI and PET scans useful for diagnostics, treatment measuring, and investigating neurological disorders (Neurotjerapeutics ncbi 2021)

Question 2

Neuroimaging is unethical

Answer 2

Law Biosci (2019) - 4 main areas of concern
1) obtaining and collection of genetic information
2) the disclosure of such information
3) use of the information
4) the right not to know the information

• also link back to Raine

Question 3

Implications of neuroimaging being ethical

Answer 3

Ethical: improves quality of life for people if diseases are more understood

Social: safer societies

Question 4

Implications of neuroimaging being unethical

Answer 4

Social: diminished responsibility for criminals and easier sentences

Question 5

Neuroenhancements are ethical

Answer 5

Bard et al. (2018) - survey with 1000 respondents, higher efficacy of NE are linked to higher willingness to use them. But generally less need for them in settings where performance is already good.

Question 6

Neuroenhancements are unethical

Answer 6

Farah et al. explored many common pharmacologic and electronic enhancements and their effectiveness. Concluded that they interfere with authentic resilience, pathologize negative mood, natural attention span, and forgetfulness

Question 7

Implications of Bard et al (2018)’s research

Answer 7

Economic/Social: If people take neuroenhancements, results in harder workers and more people in higher education which improves the society and economy if they are landing high paying jobs.

Question 8

Implications of Farah et al.’s research

Answer 8

Ethical: people who need the medication do not receive the same ‘enhancement’, and it diminishes their own efforts to live up to the same standard as non-disordered people

Question 9

Neurotechnology is ethical

Answer 9

Fuchs (2006) - exploration of ethical issues surrounding neuroscience suggests that techniques such as DBS improve quality of life for ill people

Question 10

Neurotechnology is unethical

Answer 10

Nueralink - concerns surrounding mind control, links to US military bases, not developed specifically to treat illness (as much as Elon tries to say it is)

Question 11

Implications of Fuchs (2006) research

Answer 11

Economic: Improves quality of life which is also free in the UK

Question 12

Implications of the Neuralink developments

Answer 12

Economic: priced out of access
Ethical: not used for psychological research