[About the concept of moral enhancement. The argument from Persson and Savulescu]. / Sobre el concepto de moral enhancement. El argumento de Persson y Savulescu.

In 2008 Ingmar Persson and Julian Savulescu published an article arguing for the need to biotechnologically enhance moral capacities in order to address the risks implicit in the development of cognitive enhancements. In their view, the more individuals are intellectually enhanced, the greater the possibility of causing harm. To balance this risk, cognitive enhancement must be accompanied by moral enhancement (genetic, pharmacological or cybernetic) that extends to the entire population. This thesis has been made explicit over time in various works, in dialogue with other experts. This paper explores the development of this argument in contrast to later criticisms, as well as responses from Persson and Savulescu. Finally, it raises three problematic issues in the development of the above argument, around the following areas: (a) the difference between cognitive and moral enhancements; (b) the merely biological character of human nature; and (c) the relationship between human freedom and the notion of ″moral enhancement″ employed by the authors.

Sobre el concepto de moral enhancement. El argumento de persson y savulescu / about the concept of moral enhancement. The argument from persson and savulescu

En el año 2008 Ingmar Persson y Julian Savulescu publicaron un artículo en el que defienden la nece-sidad de aumentar biotecnológicamente las capacidades morales, con objeto de hacer frente a los riesgosimplícitos en el desarrollo de las mejoras cognitivas. A su juicio, mientras más individuos sean mejoradosintelectualmente, mayor será la posibilidad de causar daño. Para equilibrar este riesgo la mejora cogni-tiva debe encontrarse acompañada por una mejora moral (genérica, farmacológica o cibernética) que seextienda a toda la población. Esta tesis ha ido explicitándose a lo largo del tiempo en diversas obras, endiálogo con otros expertos. El presente trabajo explora el desarrollo de este argumento en contraste concríticas posteriores, así como las respuestas de los interesados. Finalmente, plantea tres cuestiones pro-blemáticas en el desarrollo de la tesis antes mencionada, en torno a las siguientes áreas: (a) la diferenciaentre las mejoras cognitivas y morales; (b) el carácter meramente biológico de la naturaleza humana y (c)la relación entre la libertad humana y la noción de “mejora moral” que emplean los autores.(AU)

In 2008 Ingmar Persson and Julian Savulescu published an article arguing for the need to biotechno-logically enhance moral capacities in order to address the risks implicit in the development of cognitiveenhancements. In their view, the more individuals are intellectually enhanced, the greater the possibilityof causing harm. To balance this risk, cognitive enhancement must be accompanied by moral enhancement(genetic, pharmacological or cybernetic) that extends to the entire population. This thesis has been madeexplicit over time in various works, in dialogue with other experts. This paper explores the developmentof this argument in contrast to later criticisms, as well as responses from Persson and Savulescu. Finally, itraises three problematic issues in the development of the above argument, around the following areas:(a) the difference between cognitive and moral enhancements; (b) the merely biological character of hu-man nature; and (c) the relationship between human freedom and the notion of “moral enhancement”employed by the authors.(AU)