Debate Flashcards
What is the debate for the biological approach?
The ethics of neuroscience
Explain that idea that neuroscience can help us understand conciousness? (Ethical)
If we could gain an understanding of the consciousness , we could make decisions about patients who are in a vegetative state
Evidence - koubeissi et al 2014 - found that an electrode activated near the claustrum caused a female patient to enter a vegetative-like state and she gained conciousness when it was deactivated , supporting the idea of the conciousness
Explain the idea that neuroscience can be used to treat criminal behaviour (ethical)
Some theorists suggest that criminal behaviour stems from abnormal levels of neurotransmitters , drugs could help treat criminals
Evidence - Cherek et al (2002) found that in his sample of agressive males with a history of criminal behaviour , that the half of the sample that weren’t given a placebo , but were given an SSRI antidepressant , had a significant decrease in impulsivity and aggression
Explain how neuroscience could be used to enhance neurological function (ethical)
Neuroscience could be used to improve performance on complex academic tasks in ‘normal’ people
Evidence - Kadosh et al (2012) found that TDCS leads to improvments in problem solving , mathematical , language and attention capabilities
What is TDCS? (Improving neurological function)
Transcranial direct current stimulation - it involves passing a small electrical current across specific regions in the brain
How can neuroscience be used to improve marketing techniques?
EEG is a form of neuroscience that has been used to analyse neurological responses so we can see what people enjoy
Evidence - Volkswagen used EEG in an ad and found a 50% increase of website vists and a hugely sucessful sales year
Why is understanding consciousness debated? (Unethical)
Do we have the moral right to withdraw care if a patient is in a vegetative state?
Its very unethical as , even If neuroscientists can locate consciousness , why do we have the right to effectively kill the patient?
Why is neuroscience being uses to treat criminal behaviour a potential issue? (Unethical)
Crime , despite being linked to criminal imbalances , can also be linked to social environment and the use of drugs may be against the criminals will
Evidence - Farah (2004) - argues that neurological interventions signials a denial of an individual’s freedom - especially when provided as an alternative to prision
Why is the possibility of enhancing neurological function with neuroscience debated? (Unethical)
If TDCS is used improperly , it could lead to brain damage , it also provides an unfair advantage to people who have acess to it
Kadosh et el - highlighted there is no training or licensing rules for TDCS treatment , so this increases the risk of improper use
Why is using neuroscience to improve marketing seen as unethical? (unethical)
The use of neuroscience can lead to marketing potentially interfering with our free will as ads are becoming meticulously tailored to how our brains work
Evidence - Nelson (2008) highlights that the researchers are not board-certified, so are not obliged to follow appropriate ethical protocols (e.g informing patients of problems in the participant’s brains such as tumours)
What percentage of brain scans used for marketing find ‘incidental’ findings? (Unethical)
5%
