Mapping out the Trajectory of Islamic Perspectives on Neuroethics

Noorina Noorfuad

doi:10.1007/s41649-022-00203-8

Abstract

The advancements of medical technology incited multi-disciplinary discussions with regard to its ethical implications. Within the neuroscientific domain, the term ‘neuroethics’ has gained prominence over recent years. However, the contributions of religious perspectives in the nascent field of neuroethics are particularly few. The scarce literature on Islamic perspectives on neuroethics merely questioned its importance and introduced a sharia-based framework that can be implemented. Building upon this, the possible trajectories of Islamic perspectives on neuroethics can be mapped out by tapping into several issues within Islamic bioethics, such as cloning and genomics. Topics such as these are deliberated through the collective discussions by contemporary Muslim scholars and biomedical scientists, thus producing well-informed dialogues and decisions. Building upon these may assist in developing further the Islamic perspectives on issues within neuroethics. This lays the groundwork for all the stakeholders involved in advance, in order to predict and prevent potential harms and challenges.

Highlights

With the advancement of neuroscience in recent years, medical technology such as functional magnetic resonance imaging initiated a series of discussions relating to its ethical implications
By assessing questions on the relationship between religion and neuroethics, its relevance and importance, and on the ethical framework that can be applied to this field, this essay aims to map out the possible trajectories of the discussions relating to the Islamic perspectives on neuroethics
As the theme of this essay focuses on the Islamic viewpoint, it is useful to refer to the overarching field of Islamic bioethics which has developed solid foundations over recent years

Summary

Introduction

With the advancement of neuroscience in recent years, medical technology such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) initiated a series of discussions relating to its ethical implications. There has been a need for experts to address such ever-expanding issues from their respective fields An example of this is a particular study on the ethical aspects of neuroimaging from the Islamic perspective. Al-Delaimy expressed in his paper the need to establish an ethical framework to tackle future challenges posed by the advancements of science to predict and prevent potential harms. He emphasized on the importance of accommodating religious ethical perspectives in the field of neuroethics. By assessing questions on the relationship between religion and neuroethics, its relevance and importance, and on the ethical framework that can be applied to this field, this essay aims to map out the possible trajectories of the discussions relating to the Islamic perspectives on neuroethics

Islamic Bioethics and Neuroethics

Relevance and Importance

Possible Trajectories of Islamic Neuroethics

Conclusion