Do we have a human right to the privacy of our brain activity? Is “cognitive liberty” the foundation of all freedom?
An interesting new paper by Swiss researchers Marcello Ienca and Roberto Andorno explores such questions: Towards new human rights in the age of neuroscience and neurotechnology
Ienca and Andorno begin by noting that it has long been held that the mind is “a kind of last refuge of personal freedom and self-determination”. In other words, no matter what restrictions might be put on our ability to speak or act, or what coercion is used to force us to behave in a certain way, our thoughts, beliefs and emotions are free and untouchable.
Yet, the authors go on to say, “with advances in neural engineering, brain imaging and pervasive neurotechnology, the mind might no longer be such unassailable fortress.” Developments in neuroscience allowing for the measurement or the manipulation of brain activity could, at least in principle, create new dangers to human freedom.
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Ienca and Andorno are saying in effect that each person has a right not to be subject to ‘reading‘ of their brain activity without informed consent (mental privacy).
The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post: New Human Rights for the Age of Neuroscience?
