HUMAN ENHANCEMENT ETHICSCS 575 PRESENTATIONBy Yuri Muradyan

Spring 2010

Instructor: K.V. Bapa Rao, Ph.D.

OVERVIEW

Introduction Definitions and Distinctions Contexts and Scenarios Freedom and Autonomy Fairness and Equity Societal Disruptions Human Dignity and “The Good Life” Rights and Obligations Policy and Law

INTRODUCTION

Human Enhancement Revolution Advances in cognitive research Advances of science Nanotechnology

Fulfill our potential or become Dr. Frankenstein’s Monster?

Uber-humans?

DEFINITIONS AND DISTINCTIONS

What is human enhancement? “Human enhancement” includes any activity

by which we improve our bodies, minds, or abilities

2 categories: Natural Artificial

Beyond species typical level

HUMAN ENHANCEMENT VS. THERAPY

Therapy is aimed at pathologies that compromise health or reduce one’s level of functioning below this species-typical

Human Enhancement – change the function and structure of the body

(corrective eyeglasses vs.. night-vision binoculars)

Steroids (muscular dystrophy or athletes) Ritalin (ADHD and normal students) Reading a book vs.. implanted computer chip

IS THE NATURAL-ARTIFICIAL DISTINCTION MORALLY SIGNIFICANT?

Do artificial enhancements require moral evaluation? What is natural?

exists without any human intervention or can be performed without human-engineered artifacts?

Level of complexity and engineering is the distinction? Theological premises

IS THE INTERNAL-EXTERNAL DISTINCTION MORALLY SIGNIFICANT?

Mere use of tools doesn’t qualify as human enhancement

Incorporating tools as part of our body is human enhancement

What’s so special about incorporation of tools as part of our bodies?

Direct brain link to Google vs. Computer Use Always-On access to those capabilities Our notion of self evolves

Smart clothes Human Enhancement in itself is not the

problem, their use in certain areas of life can be questionable

IS THE THERAPY-ENHANCEMENT DISTINCTION SIGNIFICANT?

Some scientist argue there is no discernable distinction: Vaccinations: enhancement or therapy? Genius sustains an injury which reduces her

intelligence to “average” Academia and Athletes are not the only ones at

stake Soldiers on anti-depressants

Reason to maintain the distinction: By not making these distinction it will be too easy

to argue that all human enhancement is morally permissible

Collision between our intuitions and actions Heap of sand paradox

CONTEXTS AND SCENARIOS

Why would contexts matter in ethics? Vaccines are enhancements, but not all

enhancements are morally unproblematic “Enhancement” seems to be context dependant

Freely burning fossil fuels in 1910 and 2010 How important is equality?

Life span increase Education

Enhanced and Un-enhanced competitions

WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF ENHANCEMENT FOR COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE?

Pharmaceuticals (Ritalin, beta-blockers, anti-depressants, hallucinogenic and alcohols)

In the future – neural implants, “always-on access”

WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF ENHANCEMENT FOR PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE?

Pharmaceuticals (steroids) Cosmetic surgery (non-corrective) Prosthetics In the future – bionic arms, artificial ears

MIT’s Institute for Soldier Nanotechnology is working on an exoskeleton

Respirocyte – artificial red blood cell Life extension!!

SHOULD A NON-THERAPEUTIC PROCEDURE THAT PROVIDES NO NET BENEFIT BE CALLED AN ENHANCEMENT?

Sharpening teeth,inplanting whiskers, and clipping the ears to look like a cat

If autonomy is all that matters: Amputating healthy limbs Stunt growth of bedridden children Deaf parents who specifically want a deaf baby

in selecting embryos

FREEDOM AND AUTONOMY

Can we justify human enhancement by appealing to our right to be free? If enhancing doesn’t harm anyone, why prevent

it? Do we have full freedom now?

Freedom of speech Privacy

Do we want full freedom? No restrictions or background checks on gun

ownership A REAL free market Drive on any side of the road

COULD WE JUSTIFY ENHANCING IF IT HARMS NO ONE OTHER THAN THE INDIVIDUAL?

Assumption that a “procedure” may affect ONLY the health and safety of the patient is very generous Gambling, drinking, etc…

The harm or risk to others could also be indirect

Wanting the best for our children Effects could be cumulative

Bottled water, pesticides Life extension

FAIRNESS AND EQUITY

Does human enhancement raise issues of fairness, access, and equity?If there are “enhanced” there are also

“unenhanced”Do we want total equality?

Fairness Competition is good, as long as it remains

competitive

WILL IT MATTER IF THERE IS AN “ENHANCEMENT DIVIDE”?

Currently “digital divide” Internet access

Future – “nano divide” and “enhancement divide”

Do we need policies to cope this situation? Enhancement for a few scientists that enable

them to better solve world’s environmental problems

Enhanced for a few athletes

SOCIETAL DISRUPTIONS

Inequality, fair or not, can motivate worse-off masses to revolt

“Enhanced” job candidates Life extension

~20 years, retirement age 85 More pressure on resources (food, energy, …)

Underwater living or Outer space Are societal disruptions reason enough to

restrict human enhancement?

IF INDIVIDUALS ARE ENHANCED DIFFERENTLY, WILL COMMUNICATION BE MORE DIFFICULT?

In Philosophical Investigations, Wittgenstein (1953) said that if a lion could speak, we could not understand it

What if some of us had different vision( eagle eyes)?

Or echolocation of a bat Will we be less social?

HUMAN DIGNITY AND “THE GOOD LIFE”

Does the notion of human dignity suffer with human enhancement?

What does it mean to be human? Discontent is hardwired into humans Will this technologies hinder moral

development? Is the frailty necessary to appreciate life? How soon do you get bored of life? Are we “Playing God”?

WILL WE NEED TO RETHINK THE NOTION OF A “GOOD LIFE”?

For Aristotle, the one thing that everyone wanted for its own sake was happiness

SuccessProsperityAchievement

James Moor: Life, Happiness, Autonomy ability to do various things security to do them knowledge about doing them freedom and opportunity to do them resources to accomplish our goals

RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS

Is there a right to be enhanced? 2 basic classes of rights:

Human Rights and Conventional Rights Humans should be able to exercise their right

to enhancements to the extent that it promotes their life, liberty, or the pursuit of happiness

COULD HUMAN ENHANCEMENT GIVE US GREATER OF FEWER RIGHTS?

Steroid and Aquadynamic swimsuits Oscar Pistorius, the South African sprinter

who had his legs amputated when he was a year old but now runs on artificial legs

IS THERE AN OBLIGATION TO ENHANCE?

Vaccination Prisoner’s ankle bracelets with built in GPS Military and required enhancements

Nanotechnology dog tags Brain implants to follow direct commands “Cloak of invisibility”

SHOULD OUR CHILDREN BE ENHANCED?

Enhancing children will limit their future capabilities Currently parents make similar choices

Article 26 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to education and that education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms

Will we require parents to do certain enhancements?

Enhancing children to give them an edge in the society

POLICY AND LAW

Should we have regulations or restrictions on human enhancement?

3 options: No restrictions Some restrictions Full ban

SHOULD THERE BE LIMITS ON ENHANCEMENTS?

Android soldiers Destroying parts of brain that sense fear

How soon will the enemy have the same? Asymmetric warfare

MIGHT ENHANCED HUMANS COUNT AS SOMEONE’S INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY?

Generally speaking, naturally-occurring objects (e.g., air, water, other raw materials) cannot be patented

Biotechnology-patenting debate Diamond v. Chakrabarty

Since then, the courts have also established that parts or sequences of genes, though not the entire gene itself, may be patented if its function is also articulated

WILL WE NEED TO RETHINK THE ETHICS ITSELF?

To a large extent, our ethics depends on the kinds of creatures that we are

REFERENCES

http://www.kurzweilai.net/meme/frame.html?main=/articles/art0661.html

http://www.humanenhance.com/347/new-report-funded-by-us-nsf/

http://www.humanenhance.com/NSF_report.pdf