Lecture 24 - Ethics and Enhancements Flashcards
What is neuroethics?
The social and legal ethical implications of advancements in neuroscience.
What is one of the main areas of ethical concern as our understanding of how the brain works and how abnormalities impact cognition, behaviour, and affect?
The line between when someone is considered to be responsible for their actions and ‘deserving’ of sentencing.
Is there a concern around pharmaceutical interventions that are not just treatments, but are cognitive enhancers, for example.
What is the definition of cognitive enhancement?
Augmenting the human experience, such as cognition, beyond the species-typical level or statistically-normal range of functioning’.
This definition is in itself problematic, as ‘statistically-normal’ changes, and would change if we enhanced the majority enough of the population.
What is modafinil?
Originally used for narcelepsy.
Reduces need for sleep without any known side effects.
Thought to act through the dopamine and noradrenaline pathways.
What has the literature found about the cognitive-enhancing effects of modafinil?
That modafinil does not seem to be a cognitive enhancer. It increases ability to work longer, but does not increase cognitive capacities.
What are some of the ethical issues associated with cognition enhancing drugs?
The medicalization of normal. If you you sleep a ‘normal’ amount now, this may be seen as too much later.
Off-label drug use.
Explicit coercion. If there are drugs that improve performance, such precision, will certain jobs mandate its use? e.g. surgeons have to take the drug to perform surgery.
Implicit coercion - if everyone else is taking the drug, then it may be necessary to take it in order to compete/keep up.
Distributive justice - how is access to these drugs going to just? Class divide already.
Authenticity and personal achievement - people may lose their sense of personal agency and achievement if they use enhancing drug.
