Gordon, Emma C. (2024) Human enhancement and augmented reality. Philosophy and Technology, 37: 17. ISSN 2210-5433

Abstract

Bioconservative bioethicists (e.g., Kass, 2002, Human Dignity and Bioethics, 297–331, 2008; Sandel, 2007; Fukuyama, 2003) offer various kinds of philosophical arguments against cognitive enhancement—i.e., the use of medicine and technology to make ourselves “better than well” as opposed to merely treating pathologies. Two notable such bioconservative arguments appeal to ideas about (1) the value of achievement, and (2) authenticity. It is shown here that even if these arguments from achievement and authenticity cut ice against specifically pharmacologically driven cognitive enhancement, they do not extend over to an increasingly viable form of technological cognitive enhancement – namely, cognitive enhancement via augmented reality. An important result is that AR-driven cognitive enhancement aimed at boosting performance in certain cognitive tasks might offer an interesting kind of “sweet spot” for proponents of cognitive enhancement, allowing us to pursue many of the goals of enhancement advocates without running into some of the most prominent objections from bioconservative philosophers.

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Gordon, Emma C.
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Gordon, Emma C. and Cheung, Katherine and Earp, Brian D. and Savulescu, Julian (2025) Moral enhancement and cheapened achievement: psychedelics, virtual reality and AI. Bioethics, 39 (3). pp. 276-287. ISSN 0269-9702

Gordon, Emma C. (2024) Cognitive enhancement, hyperagency, and responsibility explosion. Journal of Medicine and Philosophy, 49 (5). pp. 488-498. ISSN 0360-5310

Gordon, Emma C. (2024) Human enhancement and augmented reality. Philosophy and Technology, 37: 17. ISSN 2210-5433

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