The Ethics of Hacking Ourselves

Mankind strives to be better. Generation after generation, we work as individuals and as a society to improve our lives and those of our offspring. Over time, our technological development has been exponential, to the point where scenarios that only seemed to have a place in a science fiction script are quickly becoming a reality. The scientific innovations, now increasingly diversified and accelerated by the private sector, are bringing us the tools to modify ourselves and our children.

This is what we refer to as “human enhancement”, which could be defined as “any attempt to temporarily or permanently overcome the current limitations of the human body through natural or artificial means” (IEET 2009). This is not limited to therapeutic uses, but extends to voluntary alteration technologies, such as: genetic engineering, robo-prosthetics, neural implants and brain-computer interfaces, nanomedicine, and many others. These technologies, then, give us the option to become more that what we were physically designed to be. The question is then, is it right to do so?

The medical purposes, in the case of technologies merely oriented to treating and dealing with injuries and sickness, the consensus is that their use is justified and ethical. It is when we enter the realm of “non-necessary” alterations that the true debate arises. Although the arguments may be different when referring to one technology or another, the central narrative is usually constructed around three main thematic axes: the moral philosophy of these technologies, their impact on the individual, and their implications on society as a whole.

From a purely philosophical approach, and objective and unbiased consensus is hard to reach. On one side, freedom of choice and the right to decide over one’s own body may justify any alteration or improvement as long as it does not harm anyone. These enhancements—also framed as “enablements” by their defendants—can be seen as a just acceleration of our evolution, geared towards the greater good. On the other side, these actions can also be seen as “playing god”, and simply “incorrect” on the ground that they alter the natural physical development of our species.

From the perspective of the individual, these technologies can be seen as excessively intrusive, especially in the case of genetic modifications made on children before birth. In these situations, as well as in adult enhancement procedures, the results can have a tremendous impact on identity and self-perception, for the can result in sensations of dehumanization or personality shifts (DeGrazia 2005). Nonetheless, these personality shifts can also lead to better, more stables lives, and do not necessarily have to be negative.

Finally, transhumanism has ethical implications when scaled to society as a whole. The fact that the option of enhancing oneself would only be available to the higher social class at first, these physical alterations would mean yet another advantage over working class and poorer people. This would, in turn, broaden the inequality of opportunities between those who can access these technologies and those who cannot, to the point where longevity could be fully dependent on the access to large amounts of financial resources. However, those who advocate in favor of human enhancement could argue that unfairness is already omnipresent in society, and has been there throughout history even in the absence of transhumanism (Farah 2002). Those in favor of these technologies could also argue that in order to scale them and make them accessible for the general public, it is necessary to initially limit them to those with a higher purchasing power.

In summary, there are serious implications that come with technological development that should be addressed in time in order to avoid subsequent conflicts and never-ending bureaucratic procedures that could hinder innovation and be counterproductive. Despite the radically different opinions on the topic, there is a wide array of universally beneficial applications for these technologies, and thus their development, if steered correctly, could mean the beginning of a new era for mankind. One thing, however, is certain: the development of science cannot be stopped, but it is up to us the shape it in a way that will build a better future for all. 

“Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should” (Jurassic Park, 1993)

Paolo Delaunay

Bibliography:

Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies (IEET). Entry on “Human Enhancement”. Retrieved 26 February 2018.

DeGrazia, David (2005). "Enhancement Technologies and Human Identity" (PDF). Journal of Medicine and Philosophy. Retrieved 26 February 2018.

Farah, Martha J. "Emerging ethical issues in neuroscience". Nature Neuroscience.