EDST 391 Ethics & the Human Genome
Name:
Date:
"Calendar"
Assignment for
Day 26
Computerizing our brains?
Andre's day! (Plus some Dr. G)
Readings:
-
Fischman J. (2010).
bi-on-ics, National Geographic Magazine,
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/01/bionics/fischman-text
(accessed May 8, 2012)
Writing assignment: - Here are some BCI technologies that scientists say are under development or
may be available some time in the future. Many are discussed in the reading for today. They would allow an individual to do the
following:
- Control movement of one's own body parts (prosthetic limbs)
- Improve one's own senses (vision, hearing, touch)
- Control another person's physical movements
- Change another person's behavior, beliefs, emotions, or intentions
- Activate or change another person's memories
- Activate or control a non-human device (TV, vehicle, weapon)
- Communicate telepathically with an animal
- Communicate telepathically with one or more human compatriots ("silent speech")
Questions
- Many of the ethical concerns and dilemmas we have already discussed would apply to all of them. But what are the
new
ethical
challenges they pose? Pick three. Which of the three poses the fewest and least serious new ethical challenges, and which of the
three
poses the most? Explain your reasoning in ranking the three.
- Imagine you are a futurist. You see two other applications of BCI down the road. What are they? Do they pose yet more, or yet
more
serious, ethical challenges? Please explain your reasoning.