Abstract
Scientists, engineers, and healthcare professionals are currently developing a variety of new devices under the category of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). Current and future applications are both medical/assistive (e.g. for communication) and non-medical (e.g. for gaming). This array of possibilities has been met with both enthusiasm and ethical concern in various media, with no clear resolution of these conflicting sentiments. To better understand how BCIs may either harm or help the user, and to investigate whether ethical guidance is required, a meeting entitled 'BCIs and Personhood: A Deliberative Workshop' was held in May 2018. We argue that the hopes and fears associated with BCIs can be productively understood in terms of personhood, specifically the impact of BCIs on what it means to be a person and to be recognized as such by others. Our findings suggest that the development of neural technologies raises important questions about the concept of personhood and its role in society. Accordingly, we propose recommendations for BCI development and governance.
References
Jan 1, 1990·Social Science & Medicine·M J Phillips
Jan 1, 1973·Annual Review of Biophysics and Bioengineering·J J Vidal
Jul 15, 2000·IEEE Transactions on Rehabilitation Engineering : a Publication of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society·J R WolpawT M Vaughan
Aug 6, 2003·IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering : a Publication of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society·Nicola Neumann, Andrea Kübler
Feb 27, 2009·Nature·Jens Clausen
Mar 30, 2012·Ergonomics·Stefanie Blain-MoraesPatricia A Wren
May 18, 2012·Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy : JNPT·Rutger J VlekFemke Nijboer
Jan 1, 2011·Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics·Danaë Larivière-BastienEric Racine
Jan 1, 2013·The New Bioethics : a Multidisciplinary Journal of Biotechnology and the Body·Allyson Purcell-Davis
Jan 20, 2015·Nature Biotechnology·Andres CanalesPolina Anikeeva
May 1, 2015·Frontiers in Psychology·Kristen A LindquistHolly Shablack
Sep 5, 2015·Journal of Medical Ethics·Sean Aas, David Wasserman
Jul 1, 2017·Science·Jens ClausenSurjo R Soekadar
Nov 10, 2017·Nature·Rafael YusteJonathan Wolpaw
Nov 11, 2017·BMC Medical Ethics·Sasha BurwellEric Racine
Jun 29, 2018·Neurology·Jonathan R WolpawRobert L Ruff
Aug 18, 2018·Science and Engineering Ethics·Margaret C Thompson
Sep 11, 2018·Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics : CQ : the International Journal of Healthcare Ethics Committees·Eran KleinMatt Higger
Dec 24, 2018·JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies·Giulia BarbareschiStephen Sprigle
Citations
Jul 11, 2020·The Neuroscientist : a Review Journal Bringing Neurobiology, Neurology and Psychiatry·Kevin A Mazurek, Marc H Schieber
Mar 25, 2021·Science and Engineering Ethics·Eric RacineWren Boehlen
Jul 3, 2021·Sensors·Daniela Camargo-VargasStefano Mazzoleni