EU committee to study ethics of cyborgs
… and other issues of human enhancement
Human enhancement is not at the top of most bioethical agendas, but it is
slowing moving up the ladder. A committee of the European Parliament will be
studying the regulatory and ethical limits of new technology for adding to the
capabilities of the human mind and body. It will debate issues surrounding smart
drugs, cybernetic body enhancements, cosmetic surgery and so on over the coming
months. Apparently this is the first time a legislature has looked into the
scifi world of cyborgs.
Writing in the UK’s Guardian newspaper, Andy Miah, an academic
specialising in the ethics of emerging technologies, argues enthusiastically
that we should welcome with open arms the rich possibilities of technologically
enhancing our bodies, so long as we don’t all end up looking, thinking and
acting the same. ~ Guardian,
May 1
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