Abstract
This paper considers the prospect of moral transhumanism from the perspective of theological virtue ethics. I argue that the pursuit of goodness inherent to moral transhumanism means that there is a compelling prima facie case for moral enhancement. However, I also show that the proposed enhancements would not by themselves allow us to achieve a life of virtue, as they appear unable to create or enhance prudence, the situational judgement essential for acting in accordance with virtue. I therefore argue that moral enhancement technologies should take a limited or supporting role in moral development, which I call “moral supplementation.”.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 177-187 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Theology and Science |
Volume | 15 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 3 Apr 2017 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Bioethics
- Enhancement
- Moral development
- Moral enhancement
- Technology
- Transhumanism
- Virtue