{"id":9404,"date":"2021-03-24T19:39:51","date_gmt":"2021-03-24T19:39:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dataethics.eu\/?p=9404"},"modified":"2021-03-24T19:39:51","modified_gmt":"2021-03-24T19:39:51","slug":"ethical-dilemmas-piling-up-around-human-enhancement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dataethics.eu\/da\/ethical-dilemmas-piling-up-around-human-enhancement\/","title":{"rendered":"Ethical Dilemmas Piling Up Around Human Enhancement"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tilly <\/span>Lockey<\/span> lost both her hands, when she was 15 month<\/span>s<\/span> old due to<\/span> comp<\/span>lications from<\/span> infection. When she was two, she got prostheses, and since 2019 <\/span>she has<\/span> had bionic arms from Open Bionics<\/a><\/span> using<\/span> t<\/span>he newest and most advanced tech, so she can move her fingers and use her hands almost as <\/span>if <\/span>they were her own.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThese are so modern compared to what I had before, and now people I meet feel excited about it instead of feeling sorry for me,<\/em>\u201d<\/em> <\/span>she said<\/span> recently at a digital conference<\/span> and e<\/span>xplained that many people call her a <\/span>\u201cc<\/span>yborg<\/span>\u201d<\/span>, which is totally okay for her. <\/span>\u201cActually it feels pretty cool.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

Tilly <\/span>Lockey<\/span>, now 15 years o<\/span>ld<\/span>, is a popular influencer, and she talked <\/span>\u00b4<\/span>at the Brainstorm Festival<\/a><\/span> about Human Enhancement.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

I participated in the very same festival to discuss the pros and cons of human <\/span>enhancement when<\/span> it come<\/span>s<\/span> to ethics. And in preparation for that, <\/span>I<\/span> dived into one of the <\/span>most<\/span> comprehensive<\/span> report on the topic from the Sienna Project<\/a>. <\/span>In 2020, Sienna made an <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Ethical Analysis of Human Enhancement Technologies<\/span><\/a>\u201d<\/span>.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

6 Ways of Enhancing Humans <\/strong><\/p>\n

There are six categories of human enhancement technologies. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Cognitive enhancement <\/strong>is about improving<\/span> cognitive abilities<\/span> such as <\/span>intelligence<\/span> (<\/span>e.g.<\/span> <\/span>critical thinking and reasoning)<\/span>, clarity<\/span> (focus)<\/span> and creativity<\/span>. <\/span>Physical enhancement<\/strong> <\/strong>is used <\/span>in<\/span> professional sports<\/span>. <\/span>Emotional enhancement<\/strong> <\/strong>is about improving <\/span>mood, emotion and possibly empathy.<\/span> <\/span>Moral enhancement <\/strong>is about<\/span> trying to <\/span>chang<\/span>ing<\/span> moral \u2013 in a non-accepting society it could b<\/span>e<\/span> <\/span>changing <\/span>sexual <\/span>behaviour<\/span> <\/span>using<\/span> drugs. <\/span>Cosmetic enhancement<\/strong> is <\/span>pretty common<\/span> today. And finally<\/span>,<\/span> <\/span>longevity<\/strong> <\/strong>is about increasing life expectancy <\/span>using<\/span> life extension technologies. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Among the advocates of human enhancements, the arguments are: It is here to stay. Hu<\/span>mans have always enhanced themselves. Human nature <\/span>is changeable<\/span>. And <\/span>human enhancement is acceptable<\/span>,<\/span> <\/span>as long as<\/span> free will and the biological brain remain intact. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Ethical Issues Piling Up <\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"
 In Tilly Lockey\u2019s case it is surely treatment, but what if the same was done to improve human performance in healthy individuals?  Screenshots from the Brainstorm Festival.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But the ethical issues are piling up. How do we distinguish betw<\/span>een treatment and enhancement<\/span>?<\/span> In Tilly <\/span>Lockey<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s<\/span> case it is surely treatment, but what if the same was done to improve human perfo<\/span>r<\/span>mance in healthy individuals? This gives rise<\/span> to the discussion of what is normal and natural, and what is artificial and unn<\/span>atural? And we need t<\/span>o have a thorough discussion <\/span>on what is a human being. The latter is go<\/span>ing to<\/span> be a big question<\/span> in the future, as cognitive enhancement and brain implants to improve <\/span>e.g.<\/span> intelligence gain traction. Do we need to redefine human nature?<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

There are also ethical questions regarding o<\/span>wnership of <\/span>the <\/span>expensive <\/span>h<\/span>uman <\/span>e<\/span>nhancement<\/span> technologies (HET), and who has access to them and <\/span>who does not<\/span>? What if you regret a treatment, and it is irreversible? Do you have a right to say <\/span>n<\/span>o and stay imperfect? And ho<\/span>w many will feel solidarity for those, who cannot afford HET?<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Security, privacy and <\/span>dual use<\/span> <\/span>are<\/span> huge<\/span> issues as well. <\/span>RFID<\/span> (<\/span>Radio-<\/span>frequency<\/span> identification<\/span>)<\/span> <\/span>micro<\/span>–<\/span>chi<\/span>p<\/span>s<\/span>, for example, can be installed<\/span> <\/span>under a person<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s<\/span> skin, often on their hand, <\/span>to <\/span>be used for authentication<\/span> and to <\/span>unlock a door<\/span> or<\/span> turn on the lights<\/span>. But <\/span>RFID chips<\/span> <\/span>also <\/span>have <\/span>been proven to be susceptible to computer viruses that can spread to other connected technologies that interface with the keys, which shows the technology is also at risk of malicious misuse.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

The SIENNA report points to a possible future scenario:<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cImagine a society in which expensive enhancements are available to the public to lease like the automobile market operates in the US today. If an individual falls behind on payments, the leasing agency could attempt to remove the enhancement from the user.\u201d <\/em> <\/span><\/p>\n

In the US, we have seen leased cars being deactivated, if individuals fall<\/span> behind on payments. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

The ri<\/span>ght to privacy<\/span>, autonomy<\/span>,<\/span> and self-determination is also of utmost importance in the ethics <\/span>discussions, and so is black box problems (lack of transparency): <\/span>\u201c<\/span>If an individual implants an AI-controlled directly into their brain such that it regularly <\/span>\u2018<\/span>overrid<\/span>e<\/span>s<\/span>\u2019 <\/span>\u2019 <\/span>biological signals, questions of control arise<\/span>,<\/span>\u201d <\/span>the report states.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

And finally, the<\/span> report asks, if we risk that employers coerce workers to utilize cognitive enhancement as a requirement to keep their job?<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Longevity <\/strong><\/p>\n

When we talk <\/span>about <\/span>longevity, <\/span>there are <\/span>are<\/span> multiple<\/span> <\/span>ethical questions<\/span>. Ov<\/span>erpopulation, burdens on the environment<\/span>,<\/span> and <\/span>burdens upon young<\/span>(er) generations<\/span>, for example. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Diminishing autonomy is also a present risk. Life <\/span>extension technologies may reinforce the autonomy of individuals in <\/span>several<\/span> ways<\/span>, according to the SIENNA <\/span>report<\/span>:<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n