How Human Nature Can Inform Human Enhancement: a Commentary on Tim Lewens's Human Nature: the Very Idea

Philosophy and Technology 25 (4):479-483 (2012)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

In this commentary on Lewens, I argue that although his criticisms of Machery's conception of human nature are sound, I disagree with his conclusion that human nature cannot inform us regarding issues of human enhancement. I introduce a framework for understanding human nature, the “life history trait cluster account,” which aligns the concept of human nature with the human sciences and allows human nature to inform questions of human enhancement.

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 93,590

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

Human Nature in a Post-essentialist World.Grant Ramsey - 2013 - Philosophy of Science 80 (5):983-993.
Reconceptualizing Human Nature: Response to Lewens. [REVIEW]Edouard Machery - 2012 - Philosophy and Technology 25 (4):475-478.
Trait bin and trait cluster accounts of human nature.Grant Ramsey - 2018 - In Elizabeth Hannon & Tim Lewens (eds.), Why We Disagree About Human Nature. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Human nature and enhancement.Allen Buchanan - 2008 - Bioethics 23 (3):141-150.
Human Nature and Enhancement.Allen Buchanan - 2009 - Bioethics 23 (3):141-150.
A Developmental Systems Account of Human Nature.Karola Stotz & Paul Griffiths - 2018 - In Elizabeth Hannon & Tim Lewens (eds.), Why We Disagree About Human Nature. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 00-00.
Human Nature.Grant Ramsey - 2023 - Cambridge University Press.

Analytics

Added to PP
2012-09-14

Downloads
86 (#66,400)

6 months
10 (#1,198,792)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Author's Profile

Citations of this work

Human Nature in a Post-essentialist World.Grant Ramsey - 2013 - Philosophy of Science 80 (5):983-993.
A Developmental Systems Account of Human Nature.Karola Stotz & Paul Griffiths - 2018 - In Elizabeth Hannon & Tim Lewens (eds.), Why We Disagree About Human Nature. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 00-00.
Bridging bioethics and biology.Sune Holm - 2016 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part C: Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences 55:133-136.
Is it ‘more normal’ to enhance than to restore our nature?Martin Hähnel - 2017 - Ethics and Bioethics (in Central Europe) 7 (1-2):105-113.

Add more citations

References found in this work

A plea for human nature.Edouard Machery - 2008 - Philosophical Psychology 21 (3):321 – 329.
Human nature and enhancement.Allen Buchanan - 2008 - Bioethics 23 (3):141-150.
Human Nature: The Very Idea.Tim Lewens - 2012 - Philosophy and Technology 25 (4):459-474.
Human Nature in a Post-essentialist World.Grant Ramsey - 2013 - Philosophy of Science 80 (5):983-993.

View all 7 references / Add more references