Academic Journal
Human enhancement, past and present.
| Τίτλος: | Human enhancement, past and present. |
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| Συγγραφείς: | Moeller A; University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. Andrew.Moeller@history.ox.ac.uk., Andres Porras JM; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA. |
| Πηγή: | Monash bioethics review [Monash Bioeth Rev] 2026 Aug; Vol. 44 (Suppl 1), pp. 75-93. Date of Electronic Publication: 2025 May 27. |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article; Historical Article |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: Springer Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 100973394 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1836-6716 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 13212753 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Monash Bioeth Rev Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: 2014- : New York : Springer Original Publication: Vic. [i.e. Victoria], Australia : Centre for Human Bioethics, Monash University |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Biomedical Enhancement*/ethics , Artificial Intelligence*/ethics , Humanities*, Biotechnology/ethics ; Humans ; History, Medieval ; Europe ; Eugenics |
| Περίληψη: | One important role the medical humanities might and should play relates to public education. In this instance, we mean helping persons to think about their own aims or purposes as potential receivers of enhancement interventions, and similarly helping to inform the developers of said interventions. This article argues that, in the light of real and speculative applications of emerging biotechnologies and artificial intelligence aimed at human enhancement-including germline genetic engineering, the linking of the human brain with an artificial general intelligence by way of a brain-computer interface, and various interventions directed toward life extension-historians would do well to consider the following three practices as they participate in the medical humanities and the shared task of public education: (1) Taking under scrutiny a broad swath of topics and timeframes as it relates to past efforts aimed at human enhancement; (2) Focusing on past engagement with enhancement efforts and their perceived relation to the pursuit of living well; and (3) Entering into debates on enhancement as equal participants. In support of these assertions, this article takes efforts directed towards the prolongation of life in medieval Europe as an illustrative example. It also highlights continuities and discontinuities between past and present justifications for human enhancement, and addresses how similarities and differences can shape and challenge contemporary bioethical arguments. (© 2025. The Author(s).) |
| Competing Interests: | Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. |
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| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Enhancement; Eugenics; History; Life extension; Medieval alchemy |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20250527 Date Completed: 20260829 Latest Revision: 20260901 |
| Update Code: | 20260901 |
| PubMed Central ID: | PMC13525935 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s40592-025-00250-5 |
| PMID: | 40423756 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1836-6716 |
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| DOI: | 10.1007/s40592-025-00250-5 |