Introduction and Origins of Neuroethical Tension

**3**

**Chapter 1**

of Subjectivity

**1. Forerunners of neuroethical debate**

as a widely motivated and widely disciplined undertaking [3].

*Denis Larrivee*

Introductory Chapter: Reconciling

Lens - Metaphysical Determinants

No more than 5 decades ago, bioethics formally took the stage as an independent discipline. Intended to normatively frame the rapidly growing knowledge of biological function, the appearance of the discipline constituted a normative response to what was viewed as a morally agnostic and scientifically aseptic attitude to the investigative and utilitarian ends of biological research [1]. Inspired by a broader recognition of a science isolated from its "ought to do" dimension, highlighted in contemporaneous debates on nuclear power by such literary elites as Huxley [2], the biological emphasis sought to address a spectrum of concerns, from ecological destruction to biological weaponry and genetic engineering, among others. In coining the term bioethics, accordingly, Van Rensselaer Potter emphasized its scope as the "science of survival" that required the bridging of two cultures, one scientific and the other humanistic and moral. Given the historical context of the Cold War era, Van Rensselaer's proposal resonated broadly in its public recognition, launching bioethics

Nonetheless, and despite the persistent public engagement with issues of ecological misuse and military use of biological capabilities, bioethics has since and relatively quickly come to be viewed as a normative extension of clinical practice. In the evolution introduced by the Dutch obstetrician Andre Hellegers, the object of bioethics was conceived as forging an ethical structure that would give intellectual scope to the ethical dimension already implicit in medical practice. In Hellegers' scheme [4], the science of bioethics was to discover and compile values in a dialog that encircled medicine, philosophy, and ethics, which would take into account the ongoing stream

of information emerging from biological discovery and medical technology.

As an intellectual stepchild of ethical practices surrounding the health care of the human being, bioethics is heir to a normative tradition extending to antiquity. Premised on the recognition of the unique value within each individual, medical care has traditionally been guided by principles meant to ensure the preservation of this recognition even in circumstances of significant health risk. While this historical legacy has clearly influenced the modern understanding of bioethics, its recent emergence as an independent discipline underscores its distinction from the former and raises questions regarding underlying factors that have driven the need for its emergence. Beyond issues of the rapidity and magnitude of information acquired at ever-grander scales—which must be adequately assimilated before any therapeutic intervention—emerging core ethical concerns have been especially influenced

Neurobioethics through Nature's

### **Chapter 1**
