Cognitive enhancement, lifestyle choice or misuse of prescription drugs?
Neuroethics 3 (1) (2010)
| Abstract | The prospects of enhancing cognitive or motor functions using neuroscience in otherwise healthy individuals has attracted considerable attention and interest in neuroethics (Farah et al., Nature Reviews Neuroscience 5:421–425, 2004; Glannon Journal of Medical Ethics 32:74–78, 2006). The use of stimulants is one of the areas which has propelled the discussion on the potential for neuroscience to yield cognition-enhancing products. However, we have found in our review of the literature that the paradigms used to discuss the non-medical use of stimulant drugs prescribed for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) vary considerably. In this brief communication, we identify three common paradigms—prescription drug abuse, cognitive enhancement, and lifestyle use of pharmaceuticals—and briefly highlight how divergences between paradigms create important “ethics blind spots”. | |||||||||
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E. Racine & C. Forlini (2009). Expectations Regarding Cognitive Enhancement Create Substantial Challenges. Journal of Medical Ethics 35 (8):469-470.
Nick Bostrom (2009). Cognitive Enhancement: Methods, Ethics, Regulatory Challenges. Science and Engineering Ethics 15 (3).
Benjamin Capps (2011). Libertarianism, Legitimation, and the Problems of Regulating Cognition-Enhancing Drugs. Neuroethics 4 (2):119-128.
Ingmar Persson & Julian Savulescu (2008). The Perils of Cognitive Enhancement and the Urgent Imperative to Enhance the Moral Character of Humanity. Journal of Applied Philosophy 25 (3):162-177.
Katherine Drabiak-Syed (2011). Reining In the Pharmacological Enhancement Train: We Should Remain Vigilant About Regulatory Standards for Prescribing Controlled Substances. Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics 39 (2):272-279.
Frederic Gilbert (2011). Working While Under the Influence of Performance-Enhancing Drugs: Is One “More Responsible”? American Journal of Bioethics Neuroscience 2 (3):57-59.
Rob Goodman (2010). Cognitive Enhancement, Cheating, and Accomplishment. Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal 20 (2):pp. 145-160.
Walter Glannon (2008). Psychopharmacological Enhancement. Neuroethics 1 (1).
Simon Outram (forthcoming). Ethical Considerations in the Framing of the Cognitive Enhancement Debate. Neuroethics (Browse Results).
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