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WILEY BIOTECHNOLOGY ENCYCLOPEDIAS Encyclopedia of Ethical, Legal and Policy Issues in Biotechnology
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Assessing Enhancements
There are two broad approaches to determining the acceptability of an enhancement: the assessment can be based on what the enhancement is - the product - or on how the enhancement is achieved - the process. We will briefly provide an overview of the questions each of these raise in turn, leaving a more detailed discussion of the ethics for a separate entry. For this entire discussion, we will be assuming that the modification is safe and effective so as to target our inquiry on the acceptability of the enhancement modification itself rather than on side issues regarding the acceptability of risky biotechnological procedures.
Product Assessments. Recall the earlier contrast between enhancements, properly called, and intra-normal modifications. An assessment that focuses only on products will pass on intra-normal modifications, since there is presumably nothing wrong with the result of an intra-normal modification, at least at the level of the individual. For example, there is nothing wrong in itself with being six feet tall, so an intra-normal modification that renders a person six feet tall cannot be unacceptable because of the result.
Confining ourselves therefore to only proper enhancements, the first kind of product assessment is directed at trade-offs the modification allegedly imposes. For example, suppose a modification enhances a people's memory capacity but with the result that the speed in accessing memory is considerably slower. Or suppose an enhanced memory capacity results in greater irritability. How should these trade-offs be assessed? Should it be a matter of individual choice or public policy?
A second kind of product assessment is directed at the "humanity" of the modification. According to this approach, there is something wrong in itself and not because of alleged trade-offs in having a particular trait enhanced beyond what is (normally) human. Indeed, because of the enhanced trait, the individual might not be regarded as human. The problems arising from the various racial and ethnic divisions of humanity might well carry over to this new kind of division. In addition, some people might regard enhanced individuals as an insult to the integrity of the species or, seen religiously, an insult to God's creation. How should these concerns be addressed in a pluralistic society?
A third kind of product assessment is directed at the widespread use of enhancements. Even if there is nothing wrong with any particular enhancement use, problems arise when many people or certain sectors of the population primarily make use of this enhancement. For example, suppose genetic enhancement of memory were possible and it resulted in memory-enhanced individuals being significantly more successful in several aspects of life. If only the wealthy had access to this technology, genetic enhancements would create or exacerbate troublesome inequalities. But even if the technology were made available to everyone, problems could arise. The desirability of some traits arguably rests on their not being common or widespread; if everyone is a blonde, then blondes will not have more fun. Furthermore, people who do not want to be enhanced might nevertheless feel under some considerable pressure to avail themselves of it because many other people are doing so.
Human Enhancement Uses of Biotechnology: Overview
By Robert Wachbroit
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