Changing Memories: Between Ethics and Speculation

Abstract

Over the past decade, a debate has emerged between those who believe that memory-modulating technologies are inherently dangerous and need to be regulated and those who believe these technologies present minimal risk and thus view concerns about their use as far-fetched and alarmist. This article tackles three questions central to this debate: (1) Do these technologies jeopardize personhood? (2) Are the risks of these technologies acceptable? (3) Do these technologies require special regulation or oversight? Although concerns about the unethical use of memory-modulating technologies are legitimate, these concerns should not override the responsible use of memory-modulating technologies in clinical contexts. Accordingly, we call for careful comparative analysis of their use on a case-by-case basis.

Neuromodulation and memory: exploring ethical ramifications in memory modification treatment via implantable neurotechnologies

“…Drawing from the neuroethics literature on memory modification (understood as the technique of altering neural networks underlying memory), the scholarship has primarily focused on addressing ethical issues stemming from non-invasive techniques that have rendered limited success, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation or pharmacological interventions such as propranolol, chiefly due to their lack of spatial resolution and susceptibility to noise in comparison to implanted electrodes ( Carter et al, 2011 ; Kraemer, 2013 ; Hui and Fisher, 2015 ; Racine and Affleck, 2016 ; Gilbert et al, 2017 , 2021a ; Siegel et al, 2017 ; Zuk et al, 2018 ; Cutsuridis, 2019 ; Klein et al, 2022 ). However, recent developments in the field of cognitive neuroscience pave a new horizon of neural stimulation possibilities through novel forms of memory modulation such as optogenetics, molecular modification, and implantable neural interfaces, which may overcome current limitations in non-invasive alternatives by offering higher focality and reaching deeper brain areas ( Hui and Fisher, 2015 ; Erler, 2021 ; Soekadar et al, 2023 ).…”