The Seven Temptations of Neuroethics

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The Seven Temptations of Neuroethics

• William M. Struthers, PhD
• Psychology Department
• Wheaton College
• Wheaton, IL
• Calvin College
• Christian Perspectives in Science Seminar
• Nov 6, 2009

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Neuroethics

• Neuroethics is the part of bioethics that
  considers the intended and unintended
  consequences of neuroscience in medical practice,
  research, and society at large. Neuroethics also
  deals with issues that touch no other area of
  science our sense of self, our personalities,
  and our behavior. And brain science can change
  these aspects in significant ways.
• - Brain Facts, pg. 55-56

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Neuroethics
NEUROETHICS
BIOETHICS
NEUROSCIENCE
BIOMEDICAL ETHICS
RESEARCH ETHICS
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Dividing Neuroethics

• The Neural Basis of Morality and Ethics
• Neural Basis of the Self
• Theory of Mind
• Agency Detection
• Mirror Neurons
• Behavioral Inhibition
• Rationality and Affect in Decision Making
• Neurobiological correlates of moral states
  (i.e. guilt, altruism, forgiveness)

• Neuroscience Advances on Evaluating Moral Systems
• Public Policy
• Making Life
• Taking Life
• Faking Life
• Therapy/Enhancement
• Education
• Marketplace

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Neuroethics Mapping the Field

• Conference in May, 2002 sponsored by the DANA
  Foundation

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Maps of Neuroethics

• Tectonic
• Fundamental questions of determinism and
  reductionism
• Related to the anthropological and teleological
  questions
• Geographic
• Epistemological issues of philosophical,
  theological, scientific approaches
• Related to the ontological questions
• Locale
• Specific issues that we are interested in and
  have clearly defined boundaries
• Related to the moral questions

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SFN 'Identified Areas'

• Need for Ethical Framework
• Morality
• Social Behavior
• Social Policy
• Genetics
• Brain Injury
• Neurological Disorders
• Informed Consent
• Environmental Influences

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What do Evangelical Christians Have to Offer?
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One Faith The Evangelical Consensus

• Scripture-oriented
• Scripture as authoritative guide, rule and map
  for faith and life.
• Christ-centered story of redemption
• Orthodox
• Devoted to becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ
• Spreading the Gospel
• Unity in profession, proclamation and pastoral
  care
• Trinitarian
• Father (Creation and Providence)
• Son (Mediator of Reconciliation, Resurrection,
  Reconciliation, Redemption, Restoration, and
  Reward)
• Holy Spirit (Fellowship, Sacrament, Comforter,
  Paraclete)

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Bebbingtons Evangelical Hallmarks

• Conversionism
• the belief that lives need to be changed
• Born again
• Personal relationship with Jesus
• Activism
• the expression of the gospel in effort
• Social, Political and Missional (Evangelism)
• Biblicism
• a particular regard for the Bible as
  authoritative
• Crucicentrism
• a stress on the sacrifice of Christ on the cross

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Theological Issues

• Theological Anthropology
• Personhood
• Consciousness
• Telos for Humanity
• Morality
• Free Will vs. Determinism
• Predestination
• Calvinism and Arminianism
• Legal Responsibility
• Moral Status with respect to society/culture and
  God
• The Significance/Problem of Suffering
• Why is there suffering?
• What is its purpose?

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Morality Issues

• What is the appropriate moral decision?
• Where is transcendent truth?
• Primary Concern Epistemological and Ontological
• Genetic Fallacy
• Neuroscience can tell us about the mechanics of
  behavioral selection, but very little interesting
  about morals and religion. A reductionistic
  perspective will result in medicalization of
  social issues, neuroessentialism of personhood,
  and inconsistent value judgments about the
  morality of specific behaviors.
• The rightness of any behavior is not dictated
  by the neural mechanisms that underlie the
  decision.
• B.F. Skinners No praise, no blame.

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Convergence Technologies

• Use of neuroscience to interface machine and
  brain
• Primary Concern Anthropological
• Reverse Engineering the Brain
• Artificial Intelligence
• Brain-Machine Interface
• Implant Technologies
• Augmentation
• Specific Evangelical Issues
• Anthropology/Personhood
• Eschatology/Resurrection
• Dissatisfaction with the Present

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Where are the Landmines for Neuroscientists?

• The Landmines are Philosophical, not Empirical
• Teleological
• Purpose
• Epistemology
• Scientific Positivism
• Triumphalism vs. Multiplicity/Authority
• Ontology
• Philosophical Naturalism (Incompatible with
  Christian faith)
• Anthropology
• Reductionism (Incompatible with Christian faith)
• Determinism
• Education
• Public Policy
• Over-Reaching (Genetic Fallacy)

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• Neuroethics is not simply a matter for the
  ethicists or the neuroprofessionals it must also
  involve politicians, religious leaders, public
  policy experts The issues are simply too
  important to be left to the scientists.
• -Dr. Zach Hall
• University of California San Francisco

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The Seven Deadly Sins

• Pride
• Envy
• Gluttony
• Lust
• Anger
• Greed
• Sloth

Pope Gregory I (540-604)
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Neuroethical Temptations

• Temptation
• Trial, testing (I Sam 1739)
• Acts of humanity that challenge God (Deut 434)
• Deception doubt, unbelief and rebellion (Gen
  31-13)
• Circumstances external (James 12)
• Our Response An opportunity for God to reveal
  His goodness and provision or exercise our
  brokenness

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The Seven Temptations of Neuroethics

• Human Identity
• Manipulating Memory
• Divining the Future
• Abdication of Responsibility
• Dissatisfaction with Normalcy
• Redirection of Development
• Distribution of Benefits

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1. Human Identity

• Temptation We define/decide what is human
• Humanity as Genetics or Neural Systems
• What is an Individual? (Continuity)
• Move towards Neuro-essentialism
• Uniqueness of Human Brain (i.e. mirror neurons,
  spindle cells)
• Brain as the Criteria for Life/Death Issues
• Ignores Cultural Differences
• Response God defines/decides what is human
• Imago Dei
• Substantive, Relational, Functional
• Incarnation

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Beginning of Life Issues

• Use of neuroscience for the purpose of
• Determining the detection of life, creation of
  new life, use of current life
• Primary Concern Theological Anthropology
• Embryonic Stem Cell research
• Obligation to the least of these
• All embryonic stem cell research is bad because
  of the means through which the embryonic stem
  cells are obtained and for what purpose.

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End of Life Issues

• Use of neuroscience for the purpose of
• Determining the detection of death of the self,
  reduction of pain and suffering
• Primary Concern Theological Anthropology
• Euthanasia
• Obligation to the least of these
• Slippery Slope of neuroessentialism

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Faking of Life Issues

• Use of neuroscience for the purpose of
• Interfacing between brain and machine for the
  purpose of augmentation
• Primary Concern Theological Anthropology
• Loss of the uniqueness of humanity
• Mechanistic view of humanity
• Augmentation as potentially harmful
• With augmentation there is a potential for an
  increase in the capacity for good and evil.

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2. Manipulating Memory

• Temptation Alter the Consolidation, Recall of
  Our Life Experience
• Remove Unwanted Memories
• Implant Desired Memories
• Effects on Other Cognitive/Affective Systems
• Clinical Relevance Lurias mnemonist, PTSD,
  Legal Punishment
• Spiritual Relevance Forgiveness, limit Gods
  healing
• Response Allow a proper and clear view of our
  life so that Gods grace, mercy and love can be
  given opportunities to be revealed.

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3. Divining the Future

• Temptation To use neuroscience to affect the
  future to a desired end
• Prediction of outcomes
• Neural/Genetic Screening
• Coercion (i.e. Domestic Violence risk)
• Response Rely on Gods sovereignty and trust in
  His goodness

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4. Abdication of Responsibility

• Temptation To be free from restriction and/or
  responsibility
• Emphasis on personal choice/freedom
• Expanding legal phenotypes for exculpatory
  purposes
• Deterministic/Mechanistic view of the self
• Legitimate Legal Implications (Burn and Swerdlow,
  2001)
• Response God is just and calls all to
  accountability based on how each is commissioned,
  gifted and enabled.

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5. Dissatisfaction with Normalcy

• Temptation To dictate what is good/desirable and
  what is not
• What is Pathology?
• Enhancement/Therapy
• Desire to be better than good
• Incompatibilities with other social values
• Increasing cognitive abilities ? increase in the
  quality of life
• What kind of person is the goal?
• Tolerance fades (Grace and Envy)
• Fuzzy line separating therapy and enhancement
• Response Respect the dignity of all.

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Enhancement and Therapeutic Issues

• Use of neuroscience to enhance and cure
  neurological disorders.
• Primary Concern Anthropological, Teleology
• Increasing cognitive abilities does not equal an
  increase in the quality of life.
• What kind of person is the goal?
• We actually become less tolerant of those that
  are not as enhanced as we are (impatient and
  condescending) or are more advanced (envious).
• The line separating therapy and enhancement is
  fuzzy.

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6. Redirection of Development

• Temptation To modify our development and
• Questions of Permanence
• Unchanging Neurons
• Disruption of Development
• Loss of the uniqueness of humanity
• Mechanistic view of humanity
• Augmentation as potentially harmful
• Redirection potential increase in capacity for
  good and evil
• Response Gods direction for humanity and for
  each individual is not restricted to this world

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7. Distribution of Benefits

• Temptation To determine how benefits derived
  from neuroscientific advances are provided and
  delivered to the population
• The reality of Capitalism and supply/demand
  economies
• Advances only affordable to the wealthy
• Increases Economic/Social/Global inequalities
• Who decides?
• Response Humanity as community, to serve the
  underserved follow Jesus model as Servant to
  the least of these

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A Plan for Dialogue

• The Message should not always be 'NO', but should
  be a thoughtful 'Be Very Careful'.
• Society for Neuroscience to recognize the
  importance of communicating findings to and
  engaging (inclusively) with religious
  communities.
• Social Issues Committee
• Public Information Committee
• Committee on Neuroscience Literacy
• Education Committee
• Systematic effort of Christians in neuroscience,
  theology and philosophy to publish in this area.
• American Scientific Affiliation
• Christian Neuroscience Society
• Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity