<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Utilitarianism has been able to respond to many of the objections raised against it by undertaking a major revision of its theory. Basically, this consisted of recognising that its early normative propositions were only viable for agents very different from flesh-and-blood humans. They then deduced that, given human limitations, it was most useful for everyone if moral agents did not behave as utilitarians and habitually followed certain rules. Important recent advances in neurotechnology suggest that some of these human limitations can be overcome. In this article, after presenting some possible neuro-enhancements, we seek to answer the questions, first, of whether they should be accepted by a utilitarian ethic and, second, if accepted, to what extent they would invalidate the revision that allowed them to escape the objections.</p>
</abstract>

Utilitarianism has been able to respond to many of the objections raised against it by undertaking a major revision of its theory. Basically, this consisted of recognising that its early normative propositions were only viable for agents very different from flesh-and-blood humans. They then deduced that, given human limitations, it was most useful for everyone if moral agents did not behave as utilitarians and habitually followed certain rules. Important recent advances in neurotechnology suggest that some of these human limitations can be overcome. In this article, after presenting some possible neuro-enhancements, we seek to answer the questions, first, of whether they should be accepted by a utilitarian ethic and, second, if accepted, to what extent they would invalidate the revision that allowed them to escape the objections.

Moral bioenhancements and the future of utilitarianism

Ethics & Bioethics

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

{"article-title":"Moral bioenhancements and the future of utilitarianism"}

Utilitarianism has been able to respond to many of the objections raised against it by undertaking a major revision of its theory. Basically, this consisted of...

Moral bioenhancements and the future of utilitarianism

Published Online: Dec 14, 2021

Page range: 217 - 230

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ebce-2021-0016

Keywords
moral bioenhancement, human enhancement, utilitarianism

© 2021 Francisco Lara, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Moral bioenhancements and the future of utilitarianism

Published Online: Dec 14, 2021

Page range: 217 - 230

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ebce-2021-0016

Keywordsmoral bioenhancement, human enhancement, utilitarianism

© 2021 Francisco Lara, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
moral bioenhancement, human enhancement, utilitarianism