News
09 February 2010, ObservatoryNano, COMECE
Catholic view on Human Enhancement
Recently, the Commission of European Bishops Conferences COMECE published an opinion by the Bioethics Reflection Group on the Perspectives on Human Enhancement by Technological Means (in French).
This Bioethics Reflection Group’s opinion is a response to the project on Human Enhancement by the Scientific and Technological Options Assessment Unit of the European Parliament, and its German and Dutch sister-organizations ITAS and Rathenau Institute. The Group reviews the current debate on enhancement, including Cognitive, Mood, Body Enhancement and Enhanced Life Span, based on a wide range of technologies from cups of coffee to futuristic scenarios of cyborgs. This wide range of technologies includes Nanotechnologies and other Converging Technologies (Nano, Bio, Information technologies and cognitive sciences). The Group’s ethical reflections include issues related to promotion of health and human enhancement; public attention for the expected benefits for the individual; and anthropological reflections on what it means to be human. This is followed by a proposed set of criteria for evaluating human enhancement technologies:
a) A harmonious development of the person;
b) Global solidarity including international justice;
c) Justice in each individual country;
d) The precautionary principle;
e) Informed consent and repercussions on future generations;
f) A case by case evaluation.
In conclusion, the Group takes a prudent approach and has strong reservations concerning application of human enhancement technologies in healthy persons, given mainly the potential risks. In any case, a risk-benefit assessment should be made before using such techniques. If the techniques are applied in disabled people, care should be taken to avoid crossing the boundary between therapy and enhancement. Enhancement begins where therapy ends. The legislator should prevent such technologies from widening inequalities, and in stead promote reduction of inequalities. The European Commission should promote particular transparency, especially regarding research projects with an enhancement dimension. The EC should stimulate researchers to actively seek out the dialogue with society and take into account long term implications of their research. The limits of human enhancement technologies should be emphasized: they can’t overcome the main problems of human life: suffering, lack of trust and love. For the Bioethics Reflection Group, a humane life requires acceptation of the limits of the human condition. They call for a fundamental debate on the promise or illusion of the creation of a new human condition. They see the need for a broad debate in the societies on what is desirable for the future of humankind and on the values that should guide the research and development of new technologies.
More information:
http://www.comece.eu/content/site/en/publicat [..]
Last changed: 10 February 2010
