Extending their use to provide night vision, X-ray vision, and long-range zoom capacities to the normally sighted raises considerably different issues.
brings us back to the ethics of cognitive enhancement and whether we should allow it or not
Extending their use to provide night vision, X-ray vision, and long-range zoom capacities to the normally sighted raises considerably different issues.
brings us back to the ethics of cognitive enhancement and whether we should allow it or not
victim of a brain-stem stroke became the first recipient of a brain-to-a-computer interface, enabling him to communicate on a computer by thinking about moving the cursor n6; these bionic brain implants, developed by researchers at Emory University allow a comput-er interface to be operated by the power of thought. An artificial vision system, announced in January 2000, enables the blind, using a cortical implant, to navigate independently, to "read" letters, and througha special electronic interface to
these are all example of pos benefits that come with the advancement of this technology
"this is nothing new"
its cause it isn't new. I guess there is a point in this argument but i would also say it is in part one's responsibility to be informed about what is going on around them instead of just blindly accepting things and later get mad for not knowing. the information is out there just have to loook for it
frankly believe that the situation in 1945 was simpler than the one we now face: Thenuclear technologies were reasonably separable into commercial and military uses,
fair point
the unilateral US abandonment, without preconditions,of the development of biological weapons. This relinquishment stemmed from therealization that while it would take an enormous effort to create these terrible weapons,they could from then on easily be duplicated and fall into the hands of rogue nations orterrorist groups
what about other countries though, this could still affect us
It isthis further danger that we now fully face—the consequences of our truth-seeking. Thetruth that science seeks can certainly be considered a dangerous substitute for God if it islikely to lead to our extinction.
interesting perspective
how much danger do we face, not just from nuclear weapons, but from all ofthese technologies? How high are the extinction risks
important to ask and keep in mind as we continue to progress
t is not possible to be a scientist unless you believethat the knowledge of the world, and the power which this gives, is a thing which is ofintrinsic value to humanity, and that you are using it to help in the spread of knowledgeand are willing to take the consequences
interesting
Unfortunately, as with nuclear technology, it is far easier to create destructive uses fornanotechnology than constructive ones
true but things like this, such as military weapons, already exist
I have never had the feeling that I wasdesigning an intelligent machine.
but in a way it is
In my own work, as codesigner of three microprocessor architectures—SPARC, picoJava,and MAJC
wow very nice
The Industrial Revolution
example of technological advancement that brought on a lot of negative consequences but its positive effects outweighed them.
program that attempted to solve a problem, after which the machine quickly checked thesolution. The computer had a clear notion of correct and incorrect, true and false. Were myideas correct? The machine could tell me. This was very seductive
crazy to think about how fast technological advancements have grown. We now are so reliant on computers for everything that our phones are essentially small computers. Now with COVID, everything revolves online.
Biological species almost never survive encounters with superior competitors.
like natural selection
as difficult as it is for me toacknowledge, I saw some merit in the reasoning in this single passage.
unfortunately I agree since he does bring up interesting points
We only point out that the fate of the human race would be at the mercy of themachines.
so dramatic lol
In that casepresumably all work will be done by vast, highly organized systems of machines and nohuman effort will be necessary.
while it would be cool to see the advancements of technology I can already tell some people wont want it/let it go this far
because therobots couldn't be conscious.
this idea has been explored in different showa, movies, and literature
we were going to become robots or fuse withrobots or something like that,
freaky
So, does neuroscience mean the death of free will? Well, it could ifit somehow demonstrated that conscious deliberation and rationalself-control did not really exist or that they worked in a shelteredcorner of the brain that has no influence on our actions.
it definitely could but right now there is sufficient evidence, at least not for me, to completely disregard the idea of free will
doesn’t neuroscience show thatour brains make decisions before we are conscious of them suchthat our conscious decisions are bypassed?
the libet experiment
have the capacities for conscious deliberation and self-control thatI’ve suggested we identify with free will
yes
So, if people mistakenly take causal determinism tomean that everything that happens is inevitable no matter whatyou think or try to do, then they conclude that we have no free will
i.e fate is real and no way to escape it
We act of our own free will to the extent that we have theopportunity to exercise these capacities, without unreasonableexternal or internal pressure. We are responsible for our actionsroughly to the extent that we possess these capacities and we haveopportunities to exercise them
agree
We should be wary of defining things out of existence.
very important
But they are mistakenon both counts.
oh?
neuroscience and psychology can actually help us understand howit works.
interesting
deserving credit forachievements.
most have brought up that if no free will, people aren't responsible for their bad behaviors but we it also takes away the idea that we are also responsible for our good actions. Unfair in my opinion because it takes away the hard efforts one does to achieve their goals
Not in the sense we think.
key phrase
Furthermore, psychiatrists and other experts on human behaviorshould be eliminated from the initial judicial proceedings
why?
it will still be necessary to incarcerate indi-viduals found guilty of certain criminal acts. This is rationalized invarious ways including the following: To a), protect society; b),protect the offending individuals from society; c), provide suchindividuals with appropriate psychiatric help; d), act as a deterrent(the act of incarceration and the presence of a criminal codeforming part of the environment); and e), alleviate the pain of thevictim. The proposal is a pragmatic one, based on the belief thatthe welfare of society at large is more important than the welfare ofthe individual offender.
this doesnt change anything, same system just we are now punishing people for actions they have no control over (if we accept that there is not free will).
I have argued that one of thereasons that individuals have been so reluctant to question thereality of free will is the belief that it would be difficult for societyto function under a system in which this concept was abandoned
fair point
Ourentire morality and judicial system is dependent on everyoneaccepting that they are agents of their own misdeeds,and those whodon’t acknowledge this are—by legal definition—insane.
i think it unfair to say the your genes and environment will determine the rest of your life. it is essentially saying that if you are dealt a crappy hand then you are screwed for life. This isn't true, while i do think environment and genes may present more challenges for a person, I don't think we should say they determine the rest of your life and there is no escaping that
one of the reasons for the popular acceptanceof the notion of free will is the constant awareness of consciousthought processes that seem to affect our behavior.
the world is such a complicated place with a lot of unknowns, believing you have some type of control does help one find peace and ease the possible fear that we truly have no say as to what happens and not control over what could happen
This would provide acausal component for WILL; however, WILL would then lose its“freedom”—it would then simply be a product of GES
um okay? kinda confused
human being has a degree of free will. That freedom is notradical, however, and it is curtailed by a number of internal andexternal events and constraints.”
agree with this as well. I don't think we should do absolutes when it comes to topics such as this. I believe there is still some degree of free will because there are too many factors involving genes and one's environment making it very complicated
Westill know too little about the human mind to affirm categoricallythat it is a mere animation of neuronal activity lacking the powerto affect this activity.
agree. some things cant be answered, at least not yet
Thefirst point is that, at least in some instances,what atfirst glance may appear to be stochastic might simply reflectmicroenvironmental differences and may not be the direct con-sequence of some inherent stochastic property of atomic particles.
How can one be able to differentiate the two?
Rather, dif-ferences in genetically identical twins may reflect not only envi-ronmental factors but also biological stochasticism.
interesting
In the 17th century, Descartes, in addressing what is oftenreferred to as the mind—body problem, proposed that the bodyobeyed the laws of the physical world, however the soul (and hencethe mind), acting through the pineal gland, was not restricted bythese limitations (5).
a lot of philosophers have taken different perspective regarding this topic. Interesting to see the response and funny that we are still debating it
an individualcannot be held responsible for either his genes or his environment.
while i agree that a person doesnt have control over these, I would be very careful in saying responsibility because it may lead to the conclusion that there shouldnt be consequence for one's actions
sociobiology, which studies the biological basis of social behavior.
definition
You reply that if your android lacks free will because of (1) and (2), then humans lack free will, too.
problem is situations are a lot more complicated...
It’s not that we don’t want to enjoy our impulsive thoughts (Mmm, cake), it’s merely that we want to endow the frontal cortex with some control over whether we act upon them (I’ll pass)
more will power
Neuroscience will be better able to say why people are predisposed to act the way they do
interesting
we are not the ones steering the boat of our behavior, at least not nearly as much as we believe
crazy to think about
The lesson from all these stories is the same: human behavior cannot be separated from human biology.
true
Because of dopamine’s role in weighing the costs and benefits of decisions, imbalances in its levels can trigger gambling, overeating, and drug addiction—behaviors that result from a reward system gone awry.
brain is complicated.
Although acting on such drives is popularly thought to be a free choice, the most cursory examination of the evidence demonstrates the limits of that assumption.
i feel like biology always plays a role but i don't think it should be used as an escapegoat; I also think areas suchs a attraction are more complicated than its being expressed as right now
After the removal of the remaining tumor, his behavior again returned to normal.
interesting
everyone wanted answers
always a question when events like this happen
The question that will soon confront us is whether or not effective neuropharmaceuticals are just another way to enable us to choose goodness.
a lot of different perspectives with multiple factors makes this difficult to answer
Taking a simple shot to prevent cocaine use or a tablet to calm violent impulses seems tame by comparison.
i guess its a valid point
real Ludovico therapies become available.
a lot of ethical question come into question.
"The question is whether or not this technique really makes a man good. Goodness comes from within. Goodness is chosen. When a man cannot choose, he ceases to be a man."
interesting, the movie supports this statement since in the end Alex reverts back to how he was before treatment
Ludovico Technique," a revolutionary treatment for violent criminal behavior, is supposed to make criminals sick.
operant conditioning --> positive punishment
should we blame the child himself or his parents? Or his school? Negligent social workers?
all play a role. Its not one single thing
Why do we not react in the same way to a defective man: a murderer, say, or a rapist? Why don't we laugh at a judge who punishes a criminal, just as heartily as we laugh at Basil Fawlty? Or at King Xerxes who, in 480 BC, sentenced the rough sea to 300 lashes for wrecking his bridge of ships? Isn't the murderer or the rapist just a machine with a defective component? Or a defective upbringing? Defective education? Defective genes?
i dont think this is the same. not a fan of this analogy
critics and advocates of pre-crime techniques
can see both pros and concs of both sides
major profiling, which reinforces pre-existing profiling issues such as race and socioeconomic status.
again another major issue being combated today
In Chicago, an algorithm has been created to predict its inhabitants’ potential involvement with violent crime, which creates a Strategic Subject List - known colloquially as the “heat list” - a comprehensive list of who it considers to be the most dangerous people in the city.
using MO's of past criminals and comparing to the crime
widespread monitoring doesn’t stop just at phones and location sharing apparently
this is already a current issue being combated
The film captures an increasingly monitored world in which every step, action and transaction can, and often is, being monitored. “Why sit and drink cold coffee in a hot car when you can just track them on their phone?” one official says of modern-day surveillance.
dont think this should be allowed
Maybe free will enters at the last moment, allowing a person to override an unpalatable subconscious decision
interesting, this can also be an argument against pre punishment then
seven seconds before
is this average? or did all subject have about the same time? does the time vary and by how much if so?
whether to hit a button with one's left or right hand
wonder how this would wokr with decisions that have more than one choice
You may think you decided to read this story -- but in fact, your brain made the decision long before you knew about it.
interesting...
leading to artificial limbs
this is beneficial
You can imagine how tedious it is if you want to write a letter by using a cursor to pick out letters on a screen," said Prof Haynes. "It would be much better if you thought, 'I want to reply to this email', or, 'I'm thinking this word', and the computer can read that and understand what you want to do."
do we really need this? this is kinda ridiculous and overboard, something like from wall-e where humans are extremely dependent on technology
we will have more and more ability to probe people's intentions, minds, background thoughts, hopes and emotions.
where the limit? there really should be a limit bc yes its cool that science that do this but maybe it shouldnt be done bc it erases all sense of privacy
certain degree of certainty."
this is the most important part bc if this does become a thing then we should ensure that its highly accurate
we are also denying people who aren't going to commit any crime the possibility of proving their innocence.
valid point
brain imaging has been used to identify tell-tale activity linked to lying
read about this last week
The team used high-resolution brain scans to identify patterns of activity before translating them into meaningful thoughts, revealing what a person planned to do in the near future.
thats really interesting
fy the sceptic
me... Im the sceptics lol
this we can infer that no-one will prevent him from committin
INFER thus we dont know for sure
Algy intends, will continue to intend, and will eventually carry out his intention to commit the speeding offence, we should have no reason to prefer
i feel like it depends on each case, can we really know for sure that intent will continue? Can intervention work better instead of punishment? idk this topic complicated
shouldn't it be the same with punish
dont agree with this analogy; punishment is more complicated because crimes aren't always a sure thing
Ben and Algy do not have knowledge, but only rational belief about A
i personally think this
mutatis mutandis for syn
definition- with necessary changes being made https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mutatis%20mutandis
open the possibility of 'sync- punishment' - punishment while the offence is being committed
interesting; wonder how this works
uition that it is wrong to punish someone VN for a crime he has not committed, and it is, indeed, ofte
innocent until proven guilty
The idea of holding people accountable for their predispositions ratherthan their actions poses a challenge to one of the central principles of Anglo-American jurisprudence: namely, that people are responsible for theirbehavior, not their proclivities — for what they do, not what they think
i agree. unfair to judge on thoughts that havent become actions yet
Does that mean the person should be dumpedback on the street? Absolutely not. You have a car with the brakes notworking, and it shouldn’t be allowed to be near anyone it can hurt.
interesting
It, too, lighted up every time I thought of a face. “This is apotentially very serious legal implication,” Jones broke in, since thetechnology allows us to tell what people are thinking about even if they denyit.
im sorry but thats really cool in my opinion but defineitly a lot more needs to be thought through before going further
t the same time, skepticsfear that the use of brain-scanning technology as a kind of super mind-reading device will threaten our privacy and mental freedom, leading someto call for the legal system to respond with a new concept of “cognitiveliberty.”
minding reading is unethical and shouldnt be done ESPECIALLY without consent
To suggest that criminals could beexcused because their brains made them do it seems to imply that anyonewhose brain isn’t functioning properly could be absolved of responsibility
this is a complicated area
canbedeployedonanunwillingsubject
unethical
ncrementalvalueinaccuracy
shouldn't that be priority in the justice system......
thatscientificevidenceandexperttestimonycanbeintroducedonlytohelpthejuryreachamoreinformedjudgment,nottobethefinalarbiteroftruth.
Article by Fox also mentioned this
paytheirownmoneytodeclarethatthey'retellingthetruth,"Huizengasays.(Neithercompanyhassetapriceyet.)
i can imagine this won't be cheap thus many people will not be able to this. The people who can afford it already have the money for good lawyers and most likely wouldn't be in this situation so whats the point.
Cephos'firstclients–ideally"peoplewhoaretryingtoshowthatthey'rebeingtruthfulandwhowanttouseourtechnologytohelpsupporttheircases."
i wonder how much this costs
Iviewitasnodifferentthandevelopingadiagnostictest
helpful to see the perspective from a professional/expert in that field
whorespondedbypressingabuttononahandhelddevicesotheywouldn'thavetospeak
this makes more sense but it also limits it to yes and no questions
Promptedbyasignalinthemirror,Ilaunchintoaninternalmonologueabouttheintimatedetailsofmypersonallife.Idon'tspeakaloud,becauseevenlittlemovementsofmyheadwoulddisruptthescan.Ifocusinsteadonformingthewordsclearlyandcalmlyinmymind,asiftoatelepathicinquisitor.
this may be me not actually understanding the procedure ... but how can you confirm that one is thinking about the event in question if they aren't talking aloud? If it is gonna be used for the justice system couldn't the individual just think about truths thus not show that they were lying?
usedmorefrequentlyinparoleandchild-custodyhearingsandasacounterintelligencetoolinthewaronterrorism
interesting
partlybecauseitseffectivenessdependsheavilyontheintimidationskillsoftheinterrogator
didnt know that. I assumed it concentrated on the person physiological changes but was unreliable bc physiological changes can occur for a number of different reasons and someone people dont exhibit the changes measured when lying
ourfundamentalnotionsofprivacy.
with this new age of technology privacy is the number one issues
Neuroimaging technologies do not threaten to usurp therole of juries as fact-finders
also would be beneficial overall to court rulings
There is no reason tothink that jurors will be any less capable of critically eval-160uating EEG or fMRI tests than they are of evaluating othertypes of scientific evidence
i agree
forensic memory detection technology does not, in its cur-rent state, satisfy the reliability standards for legal admis-sibility
so just like the polygraph it can be used just can't be submitted into court
EEG andfMRI techniques need not raise special privacy concernsthat make them any more objectionable than accepted tech-niques such as polygraphs or tissue samples
very beneficial
fMRItechniques identify differences in images of brain activation25produced during truthful and deceptive acts by holding asubject’s head stationary inside a strong magnetic field tomeasure regional blood oxygenation levels.
that sounds so cool
polygraph machines,
still done as a "screening" process but its not admissible in court so I wonder if the neurological test actually would be admissable
memory-modifying treatments
these are definitely more possible than memory erasure. and more likely to occur sooner
Many people, it appears, are quite open in principle to the idea of deliberately manipulating memories, if doing so could benefit the patient
this is really interesting and surprising. I was expecting majority to be against.
Could planting ‘beneficial’ false memories be the next big thing for tacklingobesity, or myriad other health complaints from fear of the dentist to depression
could also benefit those fighting addiction
Would this fictional therapy be acceptable?
honestly have no clue where i stand on this.
The scenario sounds like a plot from a science fiction novel, but it’s not necessarily as implausible –at least in principle –as it might seem
Elizabeth Loftus ted talk talks about false memories and even created different experiments in which she implanted false memories into people
https://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_loftus_how_reliable_is_your_memory?language=en
that some well-intentioned person could have deliberately planted a vivid false memory of this fictional event in your consciousness, believing that the memory would change you in ways that would benefit your life
shouldn't be allowed without person's consent
? Initially, itseems like an obvious answer, but messing with memories is far from a simpleprocess and to snip away at one memory is to inevitably infringe on others.
i think a lot more research needs to be done on this topic. Memories are such a crucial part of someone and side effects/consequences need to be analyzed before opening this opportunity to the public. My biggest concern would be the mistakes that could be done. If this is a possible future purcedure, while i know all medical procedures have risk some more than others, this is something that can't be taken lightly.
We have to understand the plight of thosewho are prisoners to bad memories, to awful memories, to horrible memories
i agree. while i do believe that memories form who we are, there are also traumatic experiences that may worsen the quality of life for an individual. The trauma that may come with an experience can really be debilitating for an individual.
Most radically, ECT is now being used to alter and destroy memories
i wonder if this was something that they found out as a side effect and not something they did on purpose
“pretense treatment.
what does that mean?
hysteria
very common diagnosis during Freud's time period for women.
drug U0126,
so propranolol dampens but U0126 actually earses.
On the other hand, rapid or radical changes of memories might cause a disruption of our unified self image.
so do it slow....?
If a memory manipulation technique threatens personal numerical identity, then it should be regulated from an ethical viewpoint
as with all all possible cognitive enhancers
we are re-sponsible for conserving our memories even if they are uncomfortabl
are we though? like how is it fair to ask someone to hold a burden that may negatively affect their mental health, well-being and even quality of life just because "it's for the greater good?"
It has also been noted that using propranolol might violate post-traumatic growth (PTG). This is the capacity to deal with psychological difficulties in the future, which is obtained in the process of overcoming a traumatic event [10].
when people go through traumatic events they become more resilient to them, they learn how to cope...if someone does have the need to cope then they will never develop the skills to persevere through stressful situations
propranolol does not threaten psychological continuity, and only dampens the link between memory and emotion.
this makes sense since a memory is more easily remembered when the emotion linked to it is more intense
memory erasure causes ethical questions.
I think it's more important to ask would there be possible cognitive side effects that would cause negative side effects?
unless the memory is verytraumatic,
i think trauma is subjective so what would be the criteria needed to excuse a memory from undergoing MMT's to be? i.e what makes it "very traumatic?"
In theory, such memories could either have theiremotional strength reduced or be blotted outaltogether.
thats sound so cool and interesting, specifically the science behind it
When theymade the mice produce an excess of this protein,memories of painful events were completelyeliminated.
i wonder how they determined this
Needless to say, there are many accounts of what morality is, or of what it is to bemoral.
very much still debated
have modified mousepox to make it lethal in 100% of mic
like why. what's the point of this?
biological weapons
biological warfare- using viruses, bacteria, etc as a weapon in war
New sleep- and awakeness-controlling medications such as modafinil appear topromote heightened function with small risks of direct side effects and dependency.28The effects of modafinil and amphetamine on sleep-deprived aviators were found tobe similar, but with modafinil showing fewer side effects.29 Naps are more effective inmaintaining performance than modafinil and amphetamine during long (48h) sleepdeprivation than short (24h), and naps followed by a modafinil dose may be moreefficient than either individually.30 The drug also improved attention and workingmemory in sleep-deprived physicians.31 Modafinil also allows sleep when appropriateand has frontally acting cognition-enhancing effects
I don't see why this couldn't be available for the public in the future
The US military routinely uses both modafiniland Ritalin for its pilots.
sadly doesn't surprise me
The NR2B ‘Doogie’ mice demonstrated improved memory performance, bothin terms of acquisition and retention.5 The modification also made them more sensitiveto certain forms of pain.6
thats really interesting that the memory enhancer led to more pain sensitivity
As a consequence, there was ever more human mind power that could be pooledtogether through the network of language, both oral and written.
just need to overcome language barrier which today is easy with online translators
butsimply that human beings were already 40,000 years ago smart and social enough tobegin to develop oral languages which enabled them to share knowledge with eachother.
we have made progress using the abilities we already possessed; developing them further
we conclude that if researchinto cognitive enhancement continues, as it is likely to, it must be accompanied by researchinto moral enhancement
agree
enhancing one area of the brain we are most likely sacrificing the natural optimal functioning of another.
fair concern but this is why there is a process before releasing stuff into the public and why research is still being done so this wouldn't be a concern later on.
The idea that we should avoid enhancement is unreasonable and inconsistent, given that as Buchanan and many others point out, “enhancement is an ancient and characteristic human endeavour.”3I believe that opponents of enhancement disregard the fact that enhancements, whether natural or deliberate, have always existed.
I completely agree. The use of the word inconsistent is also great because when people disagree with the use of enhancers then they are essential contradicting themselves because enhancers are a thing and have always been a part of human history
Cognitive enhancement is not new.
Definitely agree! When people think cognitive enhancement I think they have a stereotypical image of drugs such like NZT from the movie limitless thus think this is something new
anti-enhancement views come from a bias towards the status quo.
interesting ... i may agree
‘‘Enhancement,’’ however, only captures some of thephenomena of interest here. In many cases, assessmentand detection technology such as brain scans may be used,which do not alter the person being scanned. In othercases, instead of enhancing some cognitive trait, ‘‘di-minishment’’ might be desired—for example, reducingone’s memory consolidation or temporarily reducingone’s empathy (cases we will discuss below).
this is really cool to think about because it's stuff you would see in a sci-fi movie but its actually becoming our reality slowly but surely
In some cases—say, a human resources manager responsible for evaluatingand firing workers—being empathetic might not be desired,whereas being dispassionate would be
this is true which lead me to my question if in the future cognitive enhancers are a thing then will there be a variety of them depending on which is needed for the job? or will it be a more general enhancer? which would be more ethical?
capability
the enhancements play a big role in one's capacity
To some extent,they already occur, although in unstated or at least lessexplicit ways.
true and not just in workplace settings
.Alpha Accountingstrongly promotes this practice, particularly as com-petition with other firms heats up. So, Alice wouldhave to agree to use such techniques as warranted forspecific situations. The company, of course, wouldprovide the modifications or reimburse the cost.
i think this is fair because all employees then have the same advantage and the company is supplying it so it is also regulated
dentify major types of technologies, theareas of employment where they might be used, and themoral and legal principles most likely to frame debatesabout use.
what the article is about
The causes of the difference in their behavior must lie in the ratsthemselves. It seems plausible that humans, like rats, are spreadalong a continuum of readiness to help others.
everyone is different, people were raised differently and thus don't react the same or have different values with varying priorities
famous experiments by Stanley Milgram andPhilip Zimbardo
a lot of ethic violations in the Stanford prison experiment
Yet people can, and often do, behave in very different ways.
Bystander effect- theory that people are less likely to help when there are other people present. They don't see anyone reacting or doing anything, they don't either to follow the social norm
here are indications thatcognitive performance might improve as compared to baselinelevels
how?
electroconvulsive therapy(ECT) (Abrams, 2002)—the administration of a brief-pulsecurrent of about 800 mA delivered using electrodes appliedto the temporal lobe for medical purposes.
hasn't always been used for medical purposes.
the effects of prolonged use
this is my main concern with cognitive enhancements. They are relatively new technologies whose long term effects have not been looked at as closely as they should be.
Invasive technologies use electrodes directly inserted inthe brainor placed on its surface
how do these invasive technologies feel to the person? Is there pain or does it feel like a tickle?
cognitiveenhancementwe mean the improvement of the processes ofacquiring/generating knowledge and understanding the worldaround us.
in terms of this definition, tools such as calculators or computer programs etc. fall into this category
you could read in some heightened state of neuronal connectivity.
that's so cool!!
Instead it's like all genuine concerns---it has to be given due weight and then balanced against the potential benefits of these technologies.
i agree
governmentsmay view these as very important for national productivity and they may subsidize them in the way they now subsidize education for the very same reason.
that's really interesting to think about
This is especially clear in the context of prescription drugs. Right now if you go to Wal-Mart there are over one hundred and thirty drugs that used to be on patent and have now gone off patent and gone generic, and a month supply of each of these drugs is only four dollars. Now that's a lot cheaper than the cognitive enhancement drug that you get at Starbucks.
This is an interesting point to be made. Whats the difference between taking cognitive enhancement drugs and drinking coffee, or energy drinks, or taking vitamins/supplements? the "intensity?"
there might be very serious problems of inequality
this already is an issue without the need to add the availability of cognitive enhancements
neuroplasticity,
brain's ability to change/adapt
using tools to make ourselves smarter may be part of humans' nature.
This is an interesting perspective because when looking at it this way, whats the difference between using tools, such as a hammer or computer, or using cognitive enhancers to help us complete tasks?
we should be free to choose what we want as long as we’re not harming someone.’
i agree
What happens if I don’t make the cut? What if I’m derailed by a bad test score, or a mangled chemistry course?
I think the pressure can come to be so much for certain individuals that any resource they have available to them, they will take.
academic performance is different in important ways from baseball, or cycling
i agree
ncreased use of such drugs could raise the standard of what is considered “normal” performance and widen the gap between those who have access to the medications and those who don’t —
I agree its unfair that some may have access to these stimulants and others don't. However, I don't agree the drugs raise the standards. I actually see it the other way around; the raising of standards, specifically in academics, has pushed students to look for different resources to ease the pressure they feel to meet the expectations.
era of doping
this is biased dictation with negative connotations
a dozen of their colleagues had admitted to regular use of prescription drugs like Adderall, a stimulant, and Provigil, which promoteswakefulness, to improve their academic performance.
I feel like this says a lot about the stress and pressure school has on individuals
one is permitted to destroy it to save the mother’s life.
This is interesting because sometimes abortion isn't done for this reason but simply by their choice because they aren't in a position to have a child. Is this still "permitted"?
In fact, until forty days after conception, the fertilized egg is considered as “mere fluid.” These facts form the basis for the Jewish legal view on abortion.
It's really interesting to see a different religious perspective. Most people may assume that all religions would be pro-life because the cluster them with Christianity, on of the most outspoken on the topic.
So, can God be said to be a person? Yes. And how do we tell if he is a person? We simplylook at the requirements of being a person, such as speaking, being aware of others, havinga will, loving, etc., and we see that God most certainly expresses the attributes ofpersonhood.
this is an interesting thought. Most religions hold their God(s) up very highly and see God(s) as superior to a person.
"When you place dolphinsin a situation like that they respondin exactly the same way humansdo," said Dr Lori Marino. "They areaccessing their own minds andthinking their own thoughts."
it's a bit egotistical for humans to think they are the only ones capable of possessing certain traits.
every individual cetaceanhas the right to life", "no cetacean should be held incaptivity or servitude, be subject to cruel treatment, orbe removed from their natural environment", and "nocetacean is the property of any state, corporation,human group or individual"
this shouldn't just apply to cetacean because they possess individuality; should apply to all living creatures.
Thus, early abortions, experiments on human embryos and early fetuses, and withdrawal of feeding tubes from PVS individuals do not in themselves represent violations of the rights of persons
I agree with this statements. It aids specifically in the debate of pro-life versus pro-choice.
Do patients and surrogates have the moral right to insist on life-sustaining treatment even after permanent loss of consciousness? I tend to think not, even though stopping treatment would offend many people on religious or moral grounds. (Note that we already permit physicians to declare death by whole-brain criteria even when family members object.) But in order to limit distress to patients and surrogates who won’t accept the higher-brain criteria of personhood, it may be more compassionate not to mandate withdrawal of feeding tubes as a strict policy, but rather to educate people about the nature of PVS and the futility of treatment.
This is a really interesting topic and raises some further questions for me, such as the role of insurance and how realistically possible it is for someone to afford this?
This initially seemed an attractive option to me, but now I’m more troubled by it, seeing as it would set a precedent of using individuals who were not legally dead simply for the benefit of others
When considering this, you also have to take into account the quality of life a person is willing to have. Many people would argue that being hooked up to machines isn't really "living" so what's the point?
Imagine that someone were to state in their living will that should they succumb to PVS, their body may be maintained on life-support and used not only as a sourceof organs but for testing drugs, training medical and nursing students on intubation and other procedures, or even dissection
their body, their choice
It’s difficult to imagine our selves as disconnected from the particular bodies we have.
This brings up the question would you still be you even if your mind/consciousness were placed in a different body (think freaky friday)
What is the relationship between the soul and the body (or the mind and the brain)?
Philosophers like Descartes and Locke have tackled this question in different ways. Its interesting to see the different perspectives people have on this topic.
It is generally held that persons who are equals should qualify for equaltreatment.
while we wish this to be true its a major issue in this country. Its only if you can afford equal treatment.
Our rational calculus holds that thepatient is in far greater danger from harm from a ruptured appendix if we donot act, than from the surgical procedure and anesthesia if we proceedquickly to surgery.
so pretty much, balance the pros and cons and see which plan has pros that outweigh the cons
One might argue that we are requiredto take all of the above principles into account when they are applicable tothe clinical case under consideration. Yet, when two or more principlesapply, we may find that they are in conflict.
interesting
“to help and do no harm”
Where is the line that separates this? Are you really helping if someone has a poor quality of life, being hooked up to machines?
If thereis mora l progress, however,ther e mustbe fixedmoralstandardsagainstwhi ch we ca n judg e our actions and po li
as societies progress so do moral but that doesnt mean some things can't be kept the same. I think morals aren't all universal but there are a few that are
. This view of morality isofte n calledthedivin e commandth eory,for it hold s that what make s an ac -tion ri gh t is that God commandsit to be don
I feel like this is similar to subjective absolutism and subjective relativism because it takes the responsibility away from the person and puts the blame on God.
Theirdisa greement,the n, is aboutwhat kind of a thingthe fe tusis, not aboutwhatmak es an acti on right
what makes a person someone? When does a blob of cells become someone?
egalitaria
belief that everyone is equal and deserve equal rights.
Sub jective relativis m—the doctrinethat what makesan act ion right forsomeone is that it is appro ved by that per so n— cl aims that moral judgmentsare alwaysrelativeto the in divid
So if one says that an action is correct then can they still be held accountable for their actions?
ion. Thenwhat Les ter did wa s wro ng. But one and thesameactioncannotbe bo th rightand wr
There can never be a consensus because people are so different and each have their own opinion. Also each situation is different and may affect how one answers.
mo ral beliefs,how ca n the re be any ab -solu te moralstandards
There really can't be because social constructs influence each individual's moral standards
What mak es an acti onrigh t? or Wha t makesa perso n go
because people are raised differently in varying environments, I don't think that there will ever be one correct answer to these questions
Is it wrong to kill som eoneto puthim out of his mi
The answer will change for different scenarios.
,did thingsto im provethe li ves of some of the Ger
at the cost of others, which in my opinion negates the "goodness"
th eir motivesto be goodor ba
if an action is wrong but intent wasn't, is the action still morally wrong?
hey may be the productof prej udice,fear , or cultural con dit ion -ing
this supports the idea that morals aren't universal.
mi sery, he did it at his brother’s request. Wha t Les te r did,they said, was not an act of malice.It wa s an act of l
I disagree that his brother requesting it is justification. First this alludes that people can blame others for their actions which is not fair. One must hold responsibility for what they do. I also feel like the decision was made too drastically. It had only been three days after the accident. While the intents of this action meant well it was not thought through enough.
Did Lest er Zygmanikdo the rightthing?
There are so many factors that contribute to this. Is it okay because it saved his brother from a life of misery or is it wrong because he took someone's life?
We appeal to tradi tion when we ar gue that somet hingmust be true (or good ) becauseit is part of an es ta blishe
Again feel like this isn't fair. Doesn't allow for change to continue.
1. Phenomenap.2. If hypothesish were true, it would pro vide the best exp lanat ion of p.3. Therefore,it’s proba ble that h
Seems like a very weak argument
preced ents. A pr ecede nt is a ca sethat has alreadybeen de cided. Lawyersoften tr y to convincejudge s of themeri ts of their case by citing
so its not not innocent until proven guilty but guilty until proven innocent
uct ion . Ess ential ly, they ar e ar gu -ing that if this drug has a certain effe ct on the animals,then it’ s pr obable thatit will have the same so rt of eff ect
this is really interesting. I hadnt thought of research in this perspective
This would be astrong argume nt only if your sa mp le is sufficiently lar ge an d su fficientl y repr e-sentati ve of the entir e group of
this can be connected to how researchers must have a large representative sample
Enumerativeinductionis the sort of reas oning we us e when we ar rive at ageneralization about a gro up of things aft er obs erv ing only so me membe rs ofthat gro
like research