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Overview

Cognitive Liberty in the Neurotechnology Era James J. Hughes Ph.D. Executive Director, Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies Public Policy, Trinity College , Hartford CT September 21, 2006 Neuroethics Seminar University of Pennsylvania. Overview. Cognitive Liberty Neurotechs

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Overview

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  1. Cognitive Liberty in the Neurotechnology EraJames J. Hughes Ph.D.Executive Director, Institute for Ethics and Emerging TechnologiesPublic Policy, Trinity College, Hartford CTSeptember 21, 2006Neuroethics SeminarUniversity of Pennsylvania Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

  2. Overview • Cognitive Liberty • Neurotechs • Risks to Cognitive Liberty • Limits of Cognitive Liberty Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

  3. Cognitive Liberty • Bodily autonomy: right to control own brain • Freedom of conscience, thought, belief • Brain privacy • Liberal individualism’s idea of a discrete, autonomous decider (increasingly problematic) Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

  4. Emerging Technologies Tech that will radically change human brain: • Psychopharmacology • Genetic engineering • Nanotechnology • Artificial intelligence • Cognitive science • The accelerating convergence of all these • “for improving human performance” Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

  5. NeuroEnhancement • Memory (anti-Alzheimers drugs, stem cells) • Fear, Anxiety (Propanalol) • Mood (Prozac, brain stims) • Alertness (Ritalin, Provigil) • Creativity (TMS) • Empathy, Trust (Oxytocin, Ecstasy, gene therapy) • Sensory (cochlear implants) Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

  6. NanoNeural Network 2040? Now • Today: Cyberkinetics chip • Future: Nano-Neural Network • Self-replicating • Two-way communication • Networked “Neuro-vascular central nervous recording/stimulating system: Using nanotechnology probes,” Rodolfo R. Llinás, Kerry D. Walton, Masayuki Nakao, et al., Journal of Nanoparticle Research 2005 Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

  7. Risks to Cognitive Liberty • Lack of Privacy • Overt Control • Ownership • Social Norms • Neurotech doesn’t pose novel challenges Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

  8. Lack of Privacy • Extension of privacy of written and electronic records, drug tests • Brain fingerprinting eventually functional • Need for laws requiring warrants for brain scans, protecting brain privacy at work Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

  9. Overt Control • Extension of debates over indoctrination, involuntary commitment • Uses of neurotech to control desire, identity, ideation, knowledge • Defend liberal society, fight totalitarianism Ongoing need to parse legitimate cog liberty from insanity and criminality Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

  10. Ownership and Openness • Extension of debates over IP, open source, voting machines, pharma trials • Right to cog lib supercede proprietary rights over cog tech? Google Desktop added 10 points to my IQ – do I need to know how it works? Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

  11. Independence from Social Norms • Extension of concerns over conformity • Ability to suppress non-conformist impulses • Sex re-assignment or gender identity correction? • Divorce or self-agnegation? • Encourage individualism Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

  12. Virus Protection for the Brain • Conscious control of susceptibility to pressure to conform, obey • Having an internal locus of control • Becoming aware of external influences • Turning off submission to authority • Steve Mann’s spam filters Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

  13. Limits of Liberty Need to protect/enhance • Flourishing • Equality • Empathy & solidarity • Moral behavior Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

  14. Stop the Drug WarDevelop Therapies for Drug Dependency Alcohol aversion drugs, e.g. naltrexone Buprenorphine for opiates Vaccines and gene therapies to prevent or cure: • Alcoholism • Cocaine addiction • Heroin addiction • Nicotine dependency Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

  15. Protect/enhance equality Literacy is the first step to cyborgization • Parallel to education policy, access to mental health treatment, digital divide • Universal access, and even mandatory enhancement, may be necessary for individual opportunity and social equity Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

  16. Ensure Universal Access “…enhancing intelligence or changing personality or modifying our memory, maybe that should be available to everyone as a guarantee of equal opportunity.” Arthur Caplan Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

  17. Empathy Therapies • Attitudes toward immigrants has a genetic component • Debate over pathological racism & homophobia as a mental disorder Diagnosis for, and subsidized enhancement of, the genetic and neurophysiological bases of empathy and agreeableness Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

  18. Oxytocin and Trust • Breastfeeding • Orgasm • Bonding and trust • “Neuroactive hormones and interpersonal trust: International evidence” Zak & Fakhar, Economics and Human Biology • Oxytocin deficits? Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

  19. Final Thoughts • Importance of cognitive libertyEvery person controlling their brain in self-determined ways • Importance of liberal and social democratic societies - Liberté, egalité, solidarité - celebration of diversity & individualism • Need for a positive model of human personality Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

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