Saskia Nagel, University of Twente

Self-shaping throughout life – Neuro-enhancement from childhood to high age

Neuro-enhancement is gaining attention in the sciences, humanities, as well as in public debates. People are excited and worried about the use of prescription medication by healthy persons for the purpose of augmenting “normal“ cognitive or affective function, i.e. aiming to influence brain function in individuals without recognized dysfunction. However, boundaries between therapy in sickness and enhancement in wellness are often imprecise in practice. Perspectives about disease and health evolve along a continuum of historical, cultural, and economic contexts. In this talk, I will sketch current possibilities to enhance brain function. I will then focus on the ethical and social questions on the practices, the motivations, and goals to enhance throughout life, from childhood to high age: Why do people even strive for neuro-enhancement? What are the chances and risks, individually and socially? The old question “should we do what we can do?“ needs to be asked again by discussing which values we want to pursue in the context of further developments towards self-optimisation.

Organized by

Robert Martin