Work

From Enhancement To Disenhancement To De-Enhancement: Institutional Responsibility, and the Duty of Care to Post-Enhanced Veterans.

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: In this paper I explore the moral responsibility that is owed to post-enhanced military veterans who were enhanced with biotechnological interventions as part of their military service, but then suffer from these biotechnological interventions when returning to civilian life. By exploring two ways that these interventions can become detrimental to a veteran's quality of life, I suggest that the institutional duty of care to post-enhanced veterans arises even though the problems arise after service ends. When we see that soldiers can become disenhanced or de-enhanced, in both cases, the military as an institution owes those post-enhanced veterans a special duty of care because of the military's role in the initial enhancement. Finally, I argue why the conceptual clarity regarding enhancement, disenhancement, and de-enhancement is useful for assigning institutional responsibility with regard to post-enhanced veterans.

Source: AJOB Neuroscience

DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2025.2557810

Author: Adam Henschke

Institution: University of Twente

Language: English

Topic: Neuroethics, Human Enhancement, Biomedical Innovations

Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

SDGs: Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Funder: Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek