Page - 17 - in Cyborg Mind - What Brain–Computer and Mind–Cyberspace Interfaces Mean for Cyberneuroethics

Why Use the Term ‘Cyberneuroethics’? • 17 debate, making it feasible to even consider the meaning of the words being used, the nature of language and the way in which statements can be seen to be true or false. The following questions then become meaningful: – What does it mean to say that something is right or wrong? – Are there any objective criteria by which it is possible to assess moral statements? – What is moral discourse? Is it a statement of facts or more than that? – In what sense can a moral statement or position be said to be either true or false? From this perspective, it could well be that ethical discussions may eventu- ally prove inappropriate in giving absolute answers, but they do help in developing ethical theories and principles that can be useful in supporting discussions and public policy. Neuroethics The American author and journalist William Safire (1929–2009) is widely credited with giving the term ‘neuroethics’ its present meaning when, in 2002, he defined it as ‘the examination of what is right and wrong, good and bad about the treatment of, perfection of, or unwelcome invasion of and worrisome manipulation of the human brain’.28 In other words, the interdisciplinary field of neuroethics generally refers to the ethical, legal and social impact related to neuroscience, neurology and neu- rotechnology.29 This includes the manner in which neurotechnology, and an understanding of brain function, can be used to predict or alter human behav- iour or change identity, as well as the implications for society. For instance, basic research in neuroscience is continuing to expand society’s understanding of the biological basis of the brain’s functioning and what this means for the mental, psychological and behavioural characteristics of a person. This then raises new ethical and philosophical challenges with respect to the implications of these results and how they should be interpreted and used.30 For example, the manner in which human beings understand them- selves and other persons as ‘neurological subjects’31 is certain to affect the way in which individuals understand themselves and their relationships with others. Difficulties and urgent questions also arise relating to the way in which society should make use of the knowledge obtained in neurobiology and the new applications emerging in this area with regard to healthcare provisions, legislative requirements and even political or social regulations.32 This open access edition has been made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license thanks to the support of Knowledge Unlatched. Not for resale.