JOURNAL ARTICLE

Unfreedom or Mere Inability? The Case of Biomedical Enhancement.

  • Published In: Journal of Medicine & Philosophy, 2024, v. 49, n. 2. P. 195 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Lee, Ji Young 3 of 3

Abstract

The article examines how biomedical enhancement (bioenhancement)—interventions aimed at surpassing typical human abilities—challenges the traditional distinction between mere inability (natural limitations) and unfreedom (socially imposed constraints). It argues that bioenhancement can transform natural inabilities into morally problematic unfreedoms through four main mechanisms: social pressure to enhance, discrimination against those who do not enhance, the emergence of new inabilities for both enhanced and unenhanced individuals, and the reinforcement of ableism by establishing enhanced abilities as new normative standards. The discussion highlights the ethical implications of these dynamics for individual freedom, emphasizing the need for careful moral evaluation of bioenhancement’s social consequences.

Additional Information

  • Source:Journal of Medicine & Philosophy. 2024/04, Vol. 49, Issue 2, p195
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Health and Medicine
  • Publication Date:2024
  • ISSN:0360-5310
  • DOI:10.1093/jmp/jhae007
  • Accession Number:176041405
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Journal of Medicine & Philosophy is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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