Comsats Institute of information technology

ASSINGMENT TOPIC: Human Enhancement And Ethical Issues

ASSINGMENT OF: Ethics And Biosafety

SUBBMITTED TO: Dr. Mubarak Ali Khan

SUBBMITTED BY: Zohaib Hussain (sp13-bty-001)

SUBBMITTED ON: Saturday, 07 May 2016

How can human enhancement be defined? What are ethical issues related to it in perspective of critic’s and advocates? Give examples of technologies that can be considered forms of enhancement?

Definition and Introduction

The term human enhancement refers to “the use of technologies, biotechnologies and medicine to

improve humans’ capacities, in a way that increases the enhanced individual’s wellbeing even when there

is no pathology to be treated”. Or “It is the use of technological means to select or alter human

characteristics and capacities, whether or not the alteration results in characteristics and capacities that lie

beyond the existing human range”. For example, giving smart drugs to people who do not have any

cognitive impairment might improve their cognitive performances within or even above normal levels.

Ethical issues

Human enhancement is more controversial when practiced at the genetic level, e.g. pre-implantation

genetic diagnosis and selection of embryos, or insertion or deletion of gene sequences. Often the term

‘human enhancement’ is associated with the idea of super-humans, or post-humans. Enhancement will

lead to the creation of a new breed of humans. While in some circles the expression "human

enhancement" is roughly synonymous with human genetic engineering.

Critic’s viewpoint

Enhancement will create justice issues and exacerbate current ones, adding a biological or genetic

aspect to social and economic inequalities.

It is the attempt to ‘play God’ with human nature.

It is the risk of reviving (old) eugenic practices.

Enhancements will create unfair physical or mental advantages to those who can and will use them

 The newborn becomes a product of parents will rather than a gift of nature to be loved

unconditionally. This is problematic because it could harm the unconditional love a parent ought to

give their child, and it could furthermore lead to serious disappointment if the child does not fulfill its

engineered role.

Advocates viewpoint

It could be used to promote equality among human.

Human enhancement technologies (HET) are techniques that can be used for

treating illness and disability.

The problem is not enhancement per se, but how enhancements will be distributed.

Existing technologies

Reproductive technology

Embryo selection by preimplantation genetic diagnosis.

Cytoplasmic transfer.

In vitro-generated gametes.

Physically

Cosmetic: plastic surgery & orthodontics.

Drug-induced: doping & performance-enhancing drugs.

Functional: prosthetics & powered exoskeletons.

Medical: implants (e.g. pacemaker) & organ replacements.

Strength training: weights (e.g. barbells) & dietary supplement.

Mentally:

Nootropics, neurostimulation, and supplements that improve mental functions.

Computers, cell phones, Internet, to enhance cognitive efficiency.

Emerging technologies

Human genetic engineering

Gene therapy

Neurotechnology

Neural implants

Brain–computer interface

Cyberware

Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence

Nanomedicine

3D bioprinting

Speculative technologies

Mind uploading, the hypothetical process of "transferring"/"uploading" or copying a conscious mind

from a brain to a non-biological substrate by scanning and mapping a biological brain in detail and

copying its state into a computer system or another computational device.

Exocortex, a theoretical artificial external information processing system that would augment a

brain's biological high-level cognitive processes.

Endogenous artificial nutrition, such as having a radioisotope generator that

resynthesizes glucose (similarly to photosynthesis), amino acids and vitamins from their degradation

products, theoretically availing for weeks without food if necessary.

Conclusion

Ethical issues that arise include whether specific enhancements are permissible, obligatory, or a net good

for individuals and for society. Debate raises important philosophical issues such as the normative value

of our idea of ‘human nature’, the meaning and value of equality among humans and, more generally,

whether we should put limits on human striving to better ourselves.

References

Giubilini, A. (2015). Teaching and Learning Guide for: the Ethics of Human

Enhancement. Philosophy Compass, 10(6), 424-426.

Giubilini, A., & Sanyal, S. (2015). The ethics of human enhancement. Philosophy Compass, 10(4),

233-243.

Sandel, Michael J. (2004). "The Case Against Perfection". The Atlantic. Retrieved2016-01-21.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_enhancement#Technologies