Group items tagged

"The problem is that "dignity' is a squishy, subjective notion, hardly up to the heavyweight moral demands assigned to it. " (Steven Pinker)

"In relation to our previous and well-visited post about oxytocin, we should mention a new study that uses this very substance in a neuroeconomic set-up. In the study, recently published by Neuron, and headed by Baumgartner et al., it was found that the administration of oxytocin affected subjects' in a trust game. In particular, it was found that subjects that received oxytocin were not affected by information about co-players that cheated." (BRAINETHICS)

"It is common parlance to equate the words 'person' with 'human'. That is perhaps because of all the creatures we know, we humans are those with the most obvious claim to personhood. But, what actually is a 'person'? We know that a person is a moral entity - someone, rather than something, but that just requires us to define a 'moral entity', so begs the question. This is a very vital question these days, as it relates to such issues as human embryo research, euthanasia, human genetic engineering and cloning, among others." (Human Enhancement and Biopolitics)

Studies in Ethics, Law, and Technology1 is a peer-reviewed and policy-focused journal that examines the ethical and legal issues that arise from emerging technologies. While much attention has gone to specific fields such as bioethics, this is the first journal to address the broad scope of all technologies and their impact on the environment, society, and humanity. Topics include biotech, nanotech, neurotech, IT, weapons, energy and fuel, space-based technology, and new media and communications. Articles explore the synergy between law and ethics, and provide a robust policy response to technology's opportunities and challenges.

"New technologies enable scientists to understand, alter, and enhance our brains. These raise a host of policy-relevant questions about privacy, social and political coercion, access to technology and therapy."