Which of the following ethical arguments about pharmacological brain enhancement & cosmetic neuropharmacology are reasonable?
A. Cosmetic neuropharmacology, the use of drugs to improve cognition in normal healthy individuals, is highly controversial. Some case reports with the antidepressant Prozac indicated that patients seemed "better than well", & authors hypothesized that this effect might be observed in individuals not afflicted with psychiatric disorders. Following these case reports much controversy arose over the veracity & ethics of the cosmetic use of these antidepressants.
B. Opponents of cosmetic pharmacology believe that such drug usage is unethical & that the concept of cosmetic pharmacology is a manifestation of naive consumerism. Proponents, such as philosopher Arthur Caplan, state that it is an individual's (rather than government's, or physician's) right to determine whether to use a drug for cosmetic purposes.
C. Anjan Chatterjee, a neurologist at the University of Pennsylvania, has argued that Western medicine stands on the brink of a neuro-enhancement revolution in which people will be able to improve their memory & attention through pharmacological means.
D. Jacob Appel, a Brown University bioethicist, has raised concerns about the possibility of employers mandating such enhancement for their workers. The ethical concerns regarding pharmacological enhancement are not limited to Europe & North America, indeed, there is increasing attention given to cultural and regulatory contexts for this phenomenon, around the globe.
The ethical arguments about memory dampening may include:
A. While complete memory erasure is still an element of science-fiction, certain neurological drugs have been proven to dampen the strength & emotional association of a memory.
B. Propranolol, an FDA-approved drug, has been suggested to effectively dull the painful effects of traumatic memories if taken within 6 hours after the event occurs. This has begun the discussion of ethical implications, assuming the technology for memory erasure will only improve. Originally, propranolol was reserved for hypertension patients. However, doctors are permitted to use the drug for off-label purposes—leading to the question of whether they actually should.
C. There are numerous reasons for skepticism; for one, it may prevent us from coming to terms with traumatic experiences, it may tamper with our identities & lead us to an artificial sense of happiness, demean the genuineness of human life, and/or encourage some to forget memories they are morally obligated to keep.
D. Whether or not it is ethical to fully or partially erase the memory of a patient, it is certainly becoming a more relevant topic as this technology improves in our society.
Which of the following questions areraised regarding the use of nootropics?
A. How will these enhancers affect performance gaps between family income classes?
B. Will it become necessary to use an enhancing drug simply to remain competitive in society?
C. How does society distinguish between what is an acceptable substance (e.g. caffeine) & an unacceptable substance to alter one's mind?
Do people have the right to experiment with substances to modify their own cognition?
Cognitive enhancers may include:
Adderall
B. Ritalin
C. dimethylamylamine
D. racetams such as piracetam, oxiracetam, & aniracetam
Some bioethicist believe that neurological treatments may alter "brain identity".
A. Neuroscience has led to a deeper understanding of the chemical imbalances present in a disordered brain. In turn, this has resulted in the creation of new treatments & medications to treat these disorders. When these new treatments are first being tested, the experiments prompt ethical questions.
B. First, because the treatment is affecting the brain, the side effects can be unique & sometimes severe. A special kind of side effect that many subjects have claimed to experience in neurological treatment tests is changes in "personal identity".
C. Although this is a difficult ethical dilemma because there are no clear & undisputed definitions of personality, self, and identity, neurological treatments can result in patients losing parts of "themselves" such as memories or moods.
D. Yet another ethical dispute in neurological treatment research is the choice of patients. From a perspective of justice, priority should be given to those who are most seriously impaired and who will benefit most from the intervention. However, in a test group, scientists must select patients to secure a favorable risk-benefit ratio. Setting priority becomes more difficult when a patient's chance to benefit and the seriousness of their impairment do not go together.
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