PHIL-386 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Michael J. Sandel, Nootropic, Social Inequality
18 Jun 2020
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Document Summary
Imagine if something like taking drugs for cognitive neuroenhancement to give them a competitive edge over others (for better jobs, for better grades to get into better schools, etc) became a more common practice. Some might argue it"s unfair that those to get an advantage over others by artificially improving their cognitive capacities. The worrisome outcome ethically here is that using such drugs will exacerbate rather than reduce inequality between the cognitively better and worse off. Some have suggested that there is something ungenuine and inauthentic by enhancing your cognitive abilities artificially, as that is not who you really are. They argue that it wouldn"t be you who is focused, efficient, and productive, but the drugs and its effects on your brain. Or, it isn"t you that is relaxed and calm, but it"s the anti-anxiety medication that has given you that trait artificially.
