What are the ethics of cognitive enhancement?
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Summary
4 papers analyzed
These studies suggest that cognitive enhancement is ethically acceptable when it promotes toleration, transparency, humility, responsible decision making, and improved quality of life, especially in collaborative and outcome-focused activities.
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Introduction
The ethics of cognitive enhancement, particularly through the use of cognition-enhancing drugs (CEDs) and technologies, is a topic of growing interest and debate. This discussion encompasses various ethical considerations, including the authenticity of accomplishments, the potential for cheating, the role of virtue ethics, and the implications for social equity.
Key Insights
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Authenticity and Value of Accomplishments:
- Enhanced work is often criticized as being less dignified, valuable, or authentic. However, a collaborative view of authorship, which emphasizes collective rather than individual credit, can align with the use of CEDs and promote values like humility .
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Cheating and Fairness:
- The use of CEDs is debated in terms of whether it constitutes cheating. This depends on whether the activity is zero-sum (where one person's gain is another's loss) or non-zero-sum (where multiple people can benefit). Cognitive enhancement is more acceptable in non-zero-sum activities and when the outcome is more important than the process.
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Virtue Ethics and Responsible Use:
- Cognitive enhancement technologies, when combined with a commitment to virtue ethics, can improve responsible decision-making. Virtue ethics provides a moral framework to ensure that enhanced cognitive skills are used virtuously, benefiting both individuals and society.
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Social Equity and Accessibility:
- Ethical concerns include whether brain-enhancing treatments should be available to everyone and the potential social consequences. While the technology is still developing, the potential benefits of enhancing human brain function are significant, but issues of social equity need to be addressed.
Conclusion
The ethics of cognitive enhancement involve balancing the authenticity and value of accomplishments, fairness in competitive environments, the responsible use of enhanced cognitive abilities through virtue ethics, and ensuring social equity in access to these technologies. While cognitive enhancement offers significant potential benefits, it also raises important ethical questions that need careful consideration.
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