Journal of Bioethical Inquiry 16 (1):87-98 (2019)
Abstract |
Human enhancement is ontologically, epistemologically, and ethically challenging and has stirred a wide range of scholarly and public debates. This article focuses on some conceptual issues with HE that have important ethical implications. In particular it scrutinizes how the concept of human enhancement relates to and challenges the concept of health. In order to do so, it addresses three specific questions: Q1. What do conceptions of HE say about health? Q2. Does HE challenge traditional conceptions of health? Q3. Do concepts of health set limits to or direct HE? Addressing Q1 reveals that HE tends to frame and form our conception of health. Thereby it challenges traditional conceptions of health. Accordingly, health does not provide strong sources for setting limits to HE. On the contrary HE seems to define and expand the concept of health. Common to the concepts of HE and health is that both depend on vague value concepts, such as happiness, well-being, or goodness. There seems to be a tendency in the HE literature to define the goal of human life in terms of what is bigger, stronger, faster, more intelligent, and more resilient. However, this is confusing “goodness” with “more” and quality with quantity. Until HE more appropriately defines happiness, HE will fail to provide a relevant compass for improving the life of human beings. On the contrary, if we let simplified conceptions of “enhancement” come to define goodness or health, we may do more harm than good. Until doing so, we may well learn from Tithonus, listen to Douglas Adams’ Wowbagger, and pay attention to Virginia Woolf’s Orlando. Enhanced life may not be better. The same goes for health.
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DOI | 10.1007/s11673-018-9888-z |
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References found in this work BETA
A Philosophical Basis of Medical Practice: Toward a Philosophy and Ethic of the Healing Professions.Edmund D. Pellegrino - 1981 - Oxford University Press.
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Citations of this work BETA
Not Out of Date, But Out of Value.Bjorn Hofmann - 2019 - American Journal of Bioethics 19 (7):30-32.
The Empirical Examination of the Social Process of Genetic Enhancement, Objectification, and Maltreatment.John H. Evans - 2019 - American Journal of Bioethics 19 (7):32-34.
The role of philosophy and ethics at the edges of medicine.Bjørn Hofmann - 2021 - Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine 16 (1):1-12.
To Your Good Health! Going to the Pub With Friends, Nursing Dying Patients, And ‘ER’ Receptionists: The Ubiquitous Rise of Risk Management and Maybe A ‘Prudential’ Bioethics?Michael A. Ashby & Bronwen Morrell - 2019 - Journal of Bioethical Inquiry 16 (1):1-5.
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