Neuroethics: Science, Technology, and Society

Catalog description

This course provides a close examination into the field of neuroethics and the responsible application of advances in neuroscience research and neuroengineering. Neuroethics is a relatively young and interdisciplinary field of inquiry that aims to be a platform for different stakeholders, including neuroscientists, clinicians, lawyers, engineers, policy makers and the general public to discuss the future of neuroscience and the different applications of neurotechnologies. Neuroethics is a field that brings normative, descriptive, theoretical and practical considerations at the table. This course will cover topics such as different perspectives on neuroethics, its scope and role in recent brain initiatives, ethical and societal implications of brain imaging for medical and non-medical purposes, ethical and societal implications of the use of pharmacological and neuromodulation interventions on the brain, uses of neuromodifiers for enhancement purposes, issues around personhood and other emerging topics relevant to neuroethics. Among the ethical issues examined in the course are issues related to mental privacy, safety considerations, responsibility, agency, and social justice.