Beyond Therapy and Enhancement The Alteration of

Authors: Fabrice Jotterand

Publish Date: 2008/02/27

Volume: 2, Issue: 1, Pages: 15-23

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Abstract

With the rapid progress and considerable promise of nanobiotechnology/neurosciences there is the potential of transforming the very nature of human beings and of how humans can conceive of themselves as rational animals through technological innovations The interface between humans and machines neurodigital interface can potentially alter what it means to be human ie the very idea of human nature and of normal functioning will be changed In this paper I argue that we are potentially on the verge of a paradigm shift in terms of the ends and goals of technoscience and its applications in the biomedical sciences In particular the development of braincomputer interfaces could reconceptualize the very notion of what it means to be human Hence we should not limit our reflections of applications in terms of therapy and enhancement but also include an examination of applications aiming at the alteration of human nature To this end I will first delineate the potential paradigm shift and then map out four distinct clusters of concerns in relation to the braincomputer interface Finally I argue that our moral and philosophical reflections should follow a procedural model based on managed consensus due to our pluralistic context

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