Untangling the debate: The ethics of human enhancement

Patrick Lin*, Fritz Allhoff

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    50 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Human enhancement, in which nanotechnology is expected to play a major role, continues to be a highly contentious ethical debate, with experts on both sides calling it the single most important issue facing science and society in this brave, new century. This paper is a broad introduction to the symposium herein that explores a range of perspectives related to that debate. We will discuss what human enhancement is and its apparent contrast to therapy; and we will begin to tease apart the myriad intertwined issues that arise in the debate: (1) freedom & autonomy, (2) health & safety, (3) fairness & equity, (4) societal disruption, and (5) human dignity.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)251-264
    Number of pages14
    JournalNanoEthics
    Volume2
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Dec 2008

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