368 Farm Ln
East Lansing, MI 48823
USA
Professor Laura Y. Cabrera, Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences & Department of Philosophy, Michigan State University
Neuroenhancement and the role of human values. How do they affect each other?
The past decade has seen a rise in the use of different technologies aimed at enhancing cognitive, affective and social domains of normal healthy individuals. While values have been acknowledged to be an important aspect of neuroenhancement practices, the discussion has predominantly focused on just a few values, such as safety, peer pressure, and authenticity. How are values, in a broader sense, affected by enhancing cognitive abilities? Is this dependent on the type of technology or intervention used to attain the enhancement, or does the domain targeted play a bigger role in how values are affected? Values are not only likely to be affected by neuroenhancement practices; they also play a crucial role in defining the type of interventions that are likely to be undertaken. In this presentation I explore the way values affect and are affected by enhancing cognitive, affective and social abilities. I conclude by suggesting that a social responsibility framework could help us bridge the tensions underlying the interplay of values and neuroenhancement practices.
event flyer (with time & location details) | full schedule of Fall 2016 philosophy colloquia events