The Evaluation of Social, Ethical and Legal Aspects of Bionanotechnology-Based Human Enhancement

Developments brought by bionanotechnology in the field of human enhancement theoretically is expected to lead to considerable advances among others in prosthetics, organ replacement and reconstruction surgery. However, the research being conducted in this area will predictably in near future produce technological innovations that may in fact go beyond therapy and either intentionally or as a side effect may improve nature augmenting or even introducing new human skills, new abilities in early stages of human life, competencies, performance levels and even to change future generations. Issues arise from bionanotechnology’s potential to transform aspects of the human situation (not merely, as with form of life issues, alter some of its parameters) in ways that introduce novel terrains or require reconfiguring or reconceiving some prominent aspects of our social, ethical and legal landscapes (not merely modifying obtaining social and ethical norms). Just as we ought to try to anticipate challenges posed by bionanotechnology to current regulatory systems and to social and ethical norms grounded in obtaining conceptions of the human person and situation, before they materialize. This is not merely, because a technological onslaught may be coming and we should begin preparing ourselves. It is also because appreciating the possibilities for how some bionanotechnology might alter us and our relationships would seem a crucial part of making informed and discriminating judgments regarding whether to support particular types of bionanotechnology or lines of bionanoscience research. Although a bionanotechnological revolution may be inevitable, its particular shape and trajectory are not. In this article, we have mapped some of the main topography of the profound, controversial, and far reaching ethical, social, and legal issues in the field of human enhancement in bionanotechnology. We have identified some of the key issues raised. In addition, we provide concerns, recommend proactive considerations and solutions to deal with these issues in detail.

کلیدواژه ها:

Human Enhancement ، Bionanotechnology ، Ethical ، Social and legal Aspects