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The Art of Misunderstanding Moral Bioenhancement

Two Cases

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 December 2014

INGMAR PERSSON  and
JULIAN SAVULESCU
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Abstract:

In our book Unfit for the Future and a number of papers, we have argued that there is a dangerous mismatch between, on the one hand, the tremendous power of scientific technology, which has created societies with millions of citizens, and, on the other hand, our moral capacities, which have been shaped by evolution for life in small, close-knit societies with primitive technology. To overcome this mismatch before it results in the downfall of human civilization, human beings stand in acute need of moral enhancement, not only by traditional means but also by biomedical means, should this turn out to be possible. After summarizing this argument, we respond to two critics, Michael Hauskeller and Robert Sparrow.

Keywords

enhancementmoral enhancementmoral bioenhancementMichael HauskellerRobert SparrowfreedomautonomyJohn HarrisagencyGod Machine
Type
Special Section: How Moral Is (Moral) Enhancement?
Information
Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics , Volume 24 , Issue 1 , January 2015 , pp. 48 - 57
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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References

Notes

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8. See note 5, Persson, Savulescu 2013.

9. See note 1, Persson, Savulescu 2012, at 124.

10. See note 1, Persson, Savulescu 2012, at 11.

11. See note 1, Persson, Savulescu 2012, at 108.

12. See note 3, Savulescu, Persson 2012, at 408.

13. Sparrow, R. Better living through chemistry? A reply to Savulescu and Persson on “moral enhancement.” Journal of Applied Philosophy 2014;31:23–32.Google Scholar

14. See note 13, Sparrow 2014, at 24.

15. See note 3, Savulescu, Persson 2012, at 415.

16. See note 13, Sparrow 2014, at 24.

17. See note 13, Sparrow 2014, at 25.

18. See note 13, Sparrow 2014, at 25, cf. 30.

19. See note 13, Sparrow 2014, at 25.

20. See note 13, Sparrow 2014, at 26.

21. See note 13, Sparrow 2014, at 26.

22. See note 13, Sparrow 2014, at 26.

23. See note 13, Sparrow 2014, at 31–2.

24. See note 13, Sparrow 2014, at 29.

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27. See note 25, Hauskeller 2013, at 46.

28. See note 25, Hauskeller 2013, at 51–2.

29. See note 25, Hauskeller 2013, at 53.

30. See note 25, Hauskeller 2013, at 51.

31. See note 25, Hauskeller 2013, at 51–2.

32. See note 25, Hauskeller 2013, at 50.

33. See note 25, Hauskeller 2013, at 50.

34. See note 5, Persson, Savulescu 2013.

35. See note 13, Sparrow 2014, at 27.

36. See note 25, Hauskeller 2013, at 47.

37. See note 13, Sparrow 2014, at 29.

38. Diamond, J. Collapse. London: Penguin Books; 2006.Google Scholar

39. See note 1, Persson, Savulescu 2012, at 100.

40. See note 13, Sparrow 2014, at 29.

41. See note 13, Sparrow 2014, at 30.

42. See note 13, Sparrow 2014, at 28.

43. See note 13, Sparrow 2014, at 30.