Work

Natural Selection, Childrearing, and the Ethics of Marriage (and Divorce): Building a Case for the Neuroenhancement of Human Relationships

Year: 2012

Type: article

Abstract: We argue that the fragility of contemporary marriages-and the corresponding high rates of divorce-can be explained (in large part) by a three-part mismatch: between our relationship values, our evolved psychobiological natures, and our modern social, physical, and technological environment. "Love drugs" could help address this mismatch by boosting our psychobiologies while keeping our values and our environment intact. While individual couples should be free to use pharmacological interventions to sustain and improve their romantic connection, we suggest that they may have an obligation to do so as well, in certain cases. Specifically, we argue that couples with offspring may have a special responsibility to enhance their relationships for the sake of their children. We outline an evolutionarily informed research program for identifying promising biomedical enhancements of love and commitment.

Source: Philosophy & Technology

DOI: 10.1007/s13347-012-0081-8

Authors: Brian D. Earp, Anders Sandberg, Julian Savulescu

Institution: University of Oxford

Language: English

Topic: Neuroethics, Human Enhancement, Biomedical Innovations

Subfield: Philosophy

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,290

Funders: Wellcome Trust, University of Oxford, Arts and Humanities Research Council