In this episode I interview Dr Laura Cabrera. Laura is an Assistant Professor at the Center for Ethics & Humanities in the Life Sciences at Michigan State University where she conducts research into the ethical and societal implications of neurotechnology. I ask Laura how human enhancement can affect inter-personal communication and values and talk about the issues in her recent book Rethinking Human Enhancement : Social Enhancement and Emergent Technologies.
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Show Notes
- 0:00 – 1:00 – Introduction
- 1:00 – 11:15 – What is human enhancement- definitions and translations
- 11:15 – 13:35 – Discussing moral enhancement – Savulescu and Persson
- 13:35 – 14:35 – Human enhancement and communication – discussing Laura’s paper with John Wekert
- 14:35 – 28:40 – Shared lifeworlds, similar bodies, communication problems
- 28:40 – 39:48 – Augmented reality and sensory perception
- 39:48 – 46:20 – Cognitive capacity and memory – Oliver Sacks & Borges
- 46:20 – 49:50 – Ethics – hermeneutic crises and empathy gaps
- 49:50 – 52:30 – Can technology solve communication problems?
- 53:32 – 1:00:00 – What are human values?
- 1:00:00 – 1:08:20 – How does cognitive enhancement affect values?
- 1:08:20 – 1:16:00 – Neoliberalism values – pressures and competitiveness
- 1:16:00 – End – How to prioritise values and see the positives in enhancement
Relevant Links
- Laura’s recent book Rethinking Human Enhancement Social Enhancement and Emergent Technologies
- Human enhancement and communication: on meaning and shared understanding – Laura Cabrera & John Weckert
- Laura’s homepage at the Center for Ethics & Humanities in the Life Sciences
- The Perils of Cognitive Enhancement and the Urgent Imperative to Enhance the Moral Character of Humanity – by Savulescu & Persson
- What is it like to be a Bat? – Thomas Nagel
- The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat – Oliver Sacks
- The Country of the Blind – H.G. Wells
- Funes the Memorious – Borges
