Autonomy and enhancement
Some have objected to human enhancement on the grounds that it violates the autonomy of the enhanced. These objections, however, overlook the interesting possibility that autonomy itself could be enhanced. How, exactly, to enhance autonomy is a difficult problem due to the numerous and diverse accou...
| मुख्य लेखकों: | , , |
|---|---|
| स्वरूप: | Journal article |
| भाषा: | English |
| प्रकाशित: |
Springer Netherlands
2014
|
| विषय: |
| _version_ | 1826262023029129216 |
|---|---|
| author | Schaefer, G Kahane, G Savulescu, J |
| author_facet | Schaefer, G Kahane, G Savulescu, J |
| author_sort | Schaefer, G |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Some have objected to human enhancement on the grounds that it violates the autonomy of the enhanced. These objections, however, overlook the interesting possibility that autonomy itself could be enhanced. How, exactly, to enhance autonomy is a difficult problem due to the numerous and diverse accounts of autonomy in the literature. Existing accounts of autonomy enhancement rely on narrow and controversial conceptions of autonomy. However, we identify one feature of autonomy common to many mainstream accounts: reasoning ability. Autonomy can then be enhanced by improving people’s reasoning ability, in particular through cognitive enhancement; given how valuable autonomy is usually taken to be, this gives us extra reason to pursue such cognitive enhancements. Moreover, autonomy-based objections will be especially weak against such enhancements. As we will argue, those who are worried that enhancements will inhibit people’s autonomy should actually embrace those enhancements that will improve autonomy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T19:29:47Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:1d11e2d7-1d1c-4a8c-a86d-e65e67dab606 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T19:29:47Z |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publisher | Springer Netherlands |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:1d11e2d7-1d1c-4a8c-a86d-e65e67dab6062022-03-26T11:08:49ZAutonomy and enhancementJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:1d11e2d7-1d1c-4a8c-a86d-e65e67dab606Ethics of the biosciencesPhilosophyEthics (Moral philosophy)Practical ethicsEnglishOxford University Research Archive - ValetSpringer Netherlands2014Schaefer, GKahane, GSavulescu, JSome have objected to human enhancement on the grounds that it violates the autonomy of the enhanced. These objections, however, overlook the interesting possibility that autonomy itself could be enhanced. How, exactly, to enhance autonomy is a difficult problem due to the numerous and diverse accounts of autonomy in the literature. Existing accounts of autonomy enhancement rely on narrow and controversial conceptions of autonomy. However, we identify one feature of autonomy common to many mainstream accounts: reasoning ability. Autonomy can then be enhanced by improving people’s reasoning ability, in particular through cognitive enhancement; given how valuable autonomy is usually taken to be, this gives us extra reason to pursue such cognitive enhancements. Moreover, autonomy-based objections will be especially weak against such enhancements. As we will argue, those who are worried that enhancements will inhibit people’s autonomy should actually embrace those enhancements that will improve autonomy. |
| spellingShingle | Ethics of the biosciences Philosophy Ethics (Moral philosophy) Practical ethics Schaefer, G Kahane, G Savulescu, J Autonomy and enhancement |
| title | Autonomy and enhancement |
| title_full | Autonomy and enhancement |
| title_fullStr | Autonomy and enhancement |
| title_full_unstemmed | Autonomy and enhancement |
| title_short | Autonomy and enhancement |
| title_sort | autonomy and enhancement |
| topic | Ethics of the biosciences Philosophy Ethics (Moral philosophy) Practical ethics |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT schaeferg autonomyandenhancement AT kahaneg autonomyandenhancement AT savulescuj autonomyandenhancement |