Description
| Product ID: | 9780190664046 |
| Product Form: | Paperback / softback |
| Country of Manufacture: | GB |
| Series: | Philosophy in Action |
| Title: | Better than Human |
| Subtitle: | The Promise and Perils of Biomedical Enhancement |
| Authors: | Author: Allen Buchanan |
| Page Count: | 216 |
| Subjects: | Ethics and moral philosophy, Ethics & moral philosophy, Ethical issues: scientific, technological and medical developments, Medical ethics and professional conduct, Ethical issues: scientific & technological developments, Medical ethics & professional conduct |
| Description: | Select Guide Rating In Better than Human, noted bioethicist Allen Buchanan grapples with the ethical dilemmas of the medical revolution and biomedical enhancements. One problem, he argues, is that the debate over these enhancements has divided into polar extremes--into denunciations of meddling in the natural (or divine) order, or else a heady optimism that we can cure all that ails humanity. In fact, Buchanan notes, the human genome has always been unstable, and intervention is no offense against nature. But we must be aware of the danger of unintended consequences of these enhancements, and avoid the risk that only the wealthy will enjoy enhancements, exacerbating social inequalities. In Better than Human?, noted bioethicist Allen Buchanan grapples with the ethical dilemmas of the medical revolution now upon us. Biomedical enhancements, he writes, can make us smarter, have better memories, be stronger, quicker, have more stamina, live much longer, be more resistant to disease and to the frailties of aging, and enjoy richer emotional lives. They can even improve our character, or at least strengthen our powers of self-control. In spite of the benefits that biomedical enhancements may bring, many people instinctively reject them. Some worry that we will lose something important-our appreciation for what we have or what makes human beings distinctively valuable. To think clearly about enhancement, Buchanan argues, we have to acknowledge that nature is a mixed bag and that our species has many "design flaws". We should be open to the possibility of becoming better than human, while never underestimating the risk that our attempts to improve may backfire. |
| Imprint Name: | Oxford University Press Inc |
| Publisher Name: | Oxford University Press Inc |
| Country of Publication: | GB |
| Publishing Date: | 2017-09-07 |
