Defining Right and Wrong in Brain Science: Essential Readings in Neuroethics 2007

Where is the line between instinct and free will in humans? How far can technology and medicine go to manipulate the brain? With each new discovery about the human mind, more and more questions are raised about the limits of consciousness, responsibility and how far neuroscientific research can go. The newly emerging field of neuroethics has sought answers to these questions since the first formal neuroethics conference was held in 2002. This landmark volume contains the expert papers and writings published since then that have laid the foundations for this rapidly evolving debate. The entry traverses the scope of neuroethics, exploring six broad areas, including free will, moral responsibility and legal responsibility; psychopharmacology; and brain damage and brain death in thirty provocative articles. The scientific and ethical implications of neuroscientific research and technology are presented by leading thinkers and scientists.