Universität Wien
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180094 SE Human Enhancement - Utopia or Dystopia? (2014S)

The Ethical Debate

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 18 - Philosophie
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 45 participants
Language: German

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Friday 14.03. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 2i NIG 2.Stock C0228
  • Thursday 03.04. 15:00 - 18:15 Hörsaal 2G, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/2.Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Friday 04.04. 09:45 - 13:00 Hörsaal 2G, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/2.Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Thursday 15.05. 15:00 - 18:15 Hörsaal 2G, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/2.Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Friday 16.05. 09:45 - 13:00 Hörsaal 2G, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/2.Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Thursday 12.06. 12:00 - 15:00 Hörsaal 3F NIG 3.Stock
  • Friday 13.06. 09:40 - 13:00 Hörsaal 2G, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/2.Stock, 1010 Wien

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

The course will examine a controversial and much debated field of applied ethics: the human enhancement technologies. Under the umbrella term human enhancement an array of very different techniques is discussed, for example plastic surgery, doping, genetic engineering or neuroenhancement, i.e. drug medication to enhance feelings of happiness or to improve mental functions such as cognition, memory, attention, but also social skills and empathy. Against this background, it is not surprising that there is no set definition of the term human enhancement. Usually, the term is used for non-therapeutic interventions into the human body to improve its form or intellectual, physical, and psychological capabilities. Some human enhancement technologies seem to provide possibilities to transform the human condition fundamentally. Therefore, the concept of transhumanism plays a crucial role in the current debates.
In the last two decades, the ethical aspects of human enhancement were discussed controversially and intensively not only in academia, but also in the public at large. We will examine philosophical and bioethical texts to comprehend and evaluate the main problems and arguments of this debate.
Three topics guide the course: Firstly, we will discuss the term human enhancement and develop the concurrent crucial ethical problems. Secondly, the concept of human nature and its meaning in the discussion about human enhancement will be examined. Since, the human enhancement technologies seem to provide possibilities for overcoming the biological limitations of the human kind. Therefore, the human self-image as such is challenged. Thirdly, we will turn to the field auf neuroenhancement. We will discuss this problems of the non-therapeutic medical and pharmaceutical treatments of the human psyche, which are linked with the concepts of authenticity and identity.

Assessment and permitted materials

The assessment of this course has three components: 1. class participation; 2. paper presentation or report of one session; 3. essay (15 to 20 pages) on a topic, which we discuss in the course

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Introduction into the ethical debate about human enhancement; examination of the main problems, arguments and positions; acquiring the competence to develop own questions and answers in this field of applied ethics.

Examination topics

In the first session, the instructor will introduce the topic of the course, the methodical principles and the goals. Afterwards we will investigate the main problems and arguments of the ethical debate about human enhancement by common reading and discussing selected approaches. We will discuss one text (an article or a book chapter) in every session. The text should be presented by students. The presentation should name the essential questions and analyse the main argument of the text. It will be the basis for the following general debate. Every session should be reported by one or more participants. These reports will be made available on moodle. For the last session, a final discussion is planned.

Reading list

All articles and book chapters, which are discussed in the course, will be available on moodle and as template in the library.

Johann S. Ach, Arnd Pollmann (Hg.): no body is perfect. Baumaßnahmen am menschlichen Körper. Bioethische und ästhetische Aufrisse, Bielefeld 2006.
Anne Eckhardt u.a.: Human Enhancement. Studie des Zentrums für Technologiefolgen-Abschätzung, Zürich 2011.
Jürgen Habermas: Die Zukunft der menschlichen Natur. Auf dem Weg zu einer liberalen Eugenik?, Frankfurt a. M. 2005.
Jan-Christoph Heilinger: Enhancement. Anthropologie und Ethik, Berlin/New York 2010.
Eric Parens (Hg.): Enhancing Human Traits: Ethical and Social Implications, Washington 2000.
Julian Savulescu, Nick Bostrom: Human enhancement, Oxford 2009.
Bettina Schöne-Seifert, Davinia Talbot (Hg.): Enhancement. Die ethische Debatte, Paderborn 2009.
Bettina Schöne-Seifert u.a. (Hg.) Neuro-Enhancement. Ethik vor neuen Herausforderungen, Paderborn 2009.
Martin G. Weiß (Hg.): Bios und Zoe. Die menschliche Natur im Zeitalter ihrer technischen Reproduzierbarkeit, Frankfurt a. M. 2009.

Association in the course directory

BA M 12, PP § 57.3.5, BA M11, 57.3.7

Last modified: Sa 10.09.2022 00:19