Neuroethical Challenges in Cognitive Enhancement and Learning

Stanford University, Stanford CA

Investigators

Abstract

With National Science Foundation support, Dr. Illes will convene a workshop examining the ethical implications of emergent and foreseeable advances in cognitive neuroscience, neuropharmocology, and various other technologies capable of influencing human cognitive and brain function. The proposal brings together a variety of highly expert researchers, commentators, and ethicists, as well as observers from the significant scientific press and funding agencies. The goal of the small meeting is to closely examine the prospects for using such methods to enhance learning, memory, and attention, to draw out the ethical implications of such practices, and discuss possible guidelines. The discussion will evaluate these matters with respect to society as whole, as well as to researchers and funding agencies. The workshop will result in a manuscript that summarizes the discussion and will be submitted to a high profile public science news journal. The workshop has several potential broader impacts including make available to the scientific, lay, and policy-making communities, seminal discussions of the quite varied core ethical issues associated with cognitive brain enhancements.