Neuroethics: Challenge for the 21st Century

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Neil Levy, PhD. Cambridge University Press, New York, 2007. ISBN 978-0-521-68726-3, $55.00. Scope: This text is an overview of current neuroscientific progress and its implications for ethics and philosophy of mind. The book is divided into 9 chapters. The first chapter defines the study of neuroethics and its utility, illustrating its application to various test cases such as prosopagnosia and neglect. Here the author also introduces the “extended mind” hypothesis, the idea that human minds extend beyond the skull to include external resources used in thinking, such as pens and paper, to which he returns throughout the book. The second chapter explores direct and indirect manipulations of the mind via traditional and new methods, examining arguments regarding their impact on self-identity. Chapters 3 and 4 further explore moral arguments for and against direct manipulations of the mind, contrasting them with often overlooked indirect manipulations via the external environment. Chapter 5 is an in-depth discussion of neuroethics and memory, concluding that potential alterations to memory brought about by neuroscientific advances are not ethically unique from dilemmas of memory alteration in existence. Chapters 6 and 7 tackle the neuroscientific and neuroethical debate surrounding the concepts of self and free will. The author suggests a biologic basis for viewing self-control as a limited resource, an idea known as ego-depletion. Chapter 8 explores the idea of self-deception and its origins using anosognosia and blindsight as examples. The final chapter discusses the neuroscience of ethics itself, in particular the physiologic underpinnings of human intuition and its role in morality. Strengths: This is a wide-ranging, well-written, intellectually engaging monograph that successfully convinces the reader of the need for neuroethics discourse by individuals involved in basic, cognitive, and clinical neurosciences. It is an important contribution to the growing literature in this up-and-coming field. The author is well-versed in philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience and blends his impressive knowledge base to explore current debate and defend several fascinating hypotheses. Weaknesses: A reader unaccustomed to philosophic debate may get lost as the author tackles complex phenomena from the perspectives of philosophy, neuroscience, moral psychology, and ethics. Ambitious in its scope, the text may be of limited interest to those looking for specific application to neuro-ophthalmology. Recommended Audience: This book is layered in its complexity and has something to offer readers at all levels of familiarity with the topic. Any reader with a strong interest in the philosophical and ethical implications of the neurosciences will want to read it. However, the book was written primarily at a graduate student level, limiting its potential audience. Critical Appraisal: The author has produced a seminal work in a field that is emerging from infancy. This book is an invaluable resource for those with an interest in the intersection of basic and clinical neuroscience, philosophy, and ethics. To this end, the author has done a fine job peering into the human mind and exploring current and upcoming ethical and philosophical conundrums. It is a fascinating and challenging read. Harinder S. Chahal, BA Donna T. Chen, MD, MPH Department of Public Health Sciences Department of Psychiatric Medicine Center for Biomedical Ethics University of Virginia Charlottesville, Virginia