Ethical issues in moral and social enhancement

 

---

5 
 
ABSTRACT 
University of Manchester 
Anna Pacholczyk 
Doctor of Philosophy in Law 
Ethical issues in moral and social enhancement 
30.10.2014 
Recent developments in social neuroscience have stirred up increased interest 
within the bioethical debate (for a review see: Specker et al. 2014). Moral 
enhancement is a concept that directly embodies the idea of making brain science 
work for the social and moral good. In recent ethical discussions about biomedical 
means of moral enhancement, scholars have focused on so called ‘direct means of 
moral enhancement,’ discussing the ethical permissibility of modifying the 
emotional underpinnings of moral behaviour (Douglas, 2008; 2013; Persson and 
Savulescu, 2008; Savulescu and Persson, 2012a; 2012b). However, critics have 
argued that such modification only seems like moral enhancement, that behavioural 
modification is not ‘true’ moral enhancement, for the reason that it changes 
behaviours without making agents better moral agents. Critics have also noted that 
it can undermine freedom (e.g. Harris, 2011; see also: Douglas, 2014). This thesis 
addresses the ethical issues relating to enhancement. In the first part of this work I 
consider conceptual issues surrounding the concept of moral enhancement and 
argue that moral enhancement is plausible if we adjust our expectations to match 
those we have of cognitive enhancement. I examine the difference between pro-
sociality and morality, and argue that an increase in empathy and reduction in anger 
cannot be seen as straightforward moral enhancements. The second part examines 
the objections related to moral disagreement, medicalization and narrative identity. 
The third part of this work focuses of the issues related to freedom and agency. I 
argue that voluntary direct emotion modulation, if embedded in appropriate 
reflection, is a 
prima facie
desirable way of moral enhancement. 

---

6 
Declaration 
No portion of the work referred to in the thesis has been submitted in support of an 
application for another degree or qualification of this or any other university or 
other institute of learning. 

---

7