The dark path to eternal life: Machiavellianism predicts approval of mind upload technology

Laakasuo, Michael; Repo, Marko; Drosinou, Maria-Anna; Berg, A. I.; Kunnari, Anton; Koverola, Mika; Saikkonen, Teemu; Hannikainen, Ivar R.; Visala, Aku; Sundvall, Jukka

doi:10.1016/j.paid.2021.110731

Cited by 20 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 36 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Similarly, previous studies found a positive association between the Dark Triad traits and the acceptance of mind upload (Laakasuo et al, 2021) or pharmacological enhancement (Mayor et al, 2020;Nicholls et al, 2017Nicholls et al, , 2020. Results are also in line with the above-discussed negative relationship between AoE, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, since the Dark Triad has shown consistent negative associations with these factors (e.g., Furnham et al, 2013;Jakobwitz & Egan, 2006).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

“…The positive relationship between AoE and psychopathy is corroborated by existing literature and explained by the risky and impulsive behaviour of psychopathic individuals. This may lead to higher acceptance of potentially risky enhancement strategies (Laakasuo et al, 2021;Mayor et al, 2020;Nicholls et al, 2017). The significant positive association between AoE and grandiose narcissism is also in line with the results of another study (Mayor et al, 2020) and can be explained by the characteristic striving for admiration, status, and entitlement in narcissistic individuals (Jonason et al, 2009;Morf & Rhodewalt, 2001;Raskin & Hall, 1979).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

“…Recent studies examining the acceptance of mind upload (Laakasuo et al, 2021), and pharmacological enhancement (Maier et al, 2015;Mayor et al, 2020;Nicholls et al, 2017), found strong positive associations to Machiavellianism. This finding is explained by the manipulative, strategic planning of Machiavellian individuals.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Contrarily, acceptance of mind upload was not related to any of the HEXACO-traits (Laakasuo et al, 2018). Moreover, the Dark Triad traits (Machiavellianism, psychopathy, narcissism) were shown to be positively associated with the acceptance of pharmacological enhancement (Mayor et al, 2020;Nicholls et al, 2017Nicholls et al, , 2020, and mind upload (Laakasuo et al, 2021). Other studies revealed that Schwartz' values and their four value dimensions (selfenhancement, conservation, self-transcendence, openness to experience; Schwartz, 1992Schwartz, , 2006Schwartz, , 2012 are partly related to AoE.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…Among others, it comprises methods that directly modify an organism's DNA by deleting or replacing genetic material in the genome (Almeida & Diogo, 2019). Since genes do not only influence our physical characteristics but also our cognitive abilities (Plomin, 1999), studies are already identifying specific genes and discussing them as potential focal points for cognitive enhancement (Dumontheil et al, 2011;Huentelman et al, 2018) Mind upload describes the process of separating the mind from the body and transferring it onto a digital device (Bostrom, 2003;Cappuccio, 2017;Laakasuo et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Super-Men and Wonder-Women: The Relationship between the Acceptance of Trans- and Posthumanistic Self-Enhancement, Personality, and Values

Schönthaler¹,

Hofer²,

Grinschgl³

et al. 2021

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background and aim. Due to ongoing technological innovations, trans- and posthumanistic self-enhancement strategies are publicly discussed, researched from different perspectives, and part of ethical debates. However, only few studies investigated the acceptance of these strategies and its relationship with personality traits and values. The present study investigated to what extent people accept different enhancement strategies and whether acceptance can be predicted by Big Five and Dark Triad traits, vulnerable narcissism, and values. Methods. In an online survey (N = 450), we measured personality traits and values with German questionnaires. Moreover, participants read scenarios about enhancement strategies and answered questions about their acceptance of these scenarios. Results. Factor analysis indicated a general factor of acceptance across scenarios. Correlation analyses showed that high agreeableness, agreeableness-compassion, conscientiousness, conscientiousness-industriousness, and conservation- and self-transcendence values are related to less acceptance of self-enhancement. Moreover, individuals high on Dark Triad traits, vulnerable narcissism, and self-enhancement values exhibit more acceptance. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that said values and Big Five traits explained unique variance in the acceptance of self-enhancement. Conclusion. These findings highlight the importance of considering personality and values when investigating transhumanistic self-enhancement and support policymaking in creating guidelines for enhancement usage.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Super-Men and Wonder-Women: The Relationship between the Acceptance of Trans- and Posthumanistic Self-Enhancement, Personality, and Values

Schönthaler¹,

Hofer²,

Grinschgl³

et al. 2021

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Moral psychology of nursing robots: Exploring the role of robots in dilemmas of patient autonomy

Laakasuo

Palomäki

Kunnari

et al. 2022

Euro J Social Psych

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Artificial intelligences (AIs) are widely used in tasks ranging from transportation to healthcare and military, but it is not yet known how people prefer them to act in ethically difficult situations. In five studies (an anthropological field study, n = 30, and four experiments, total n = 2150), we presented people with vignettes where a human or an advanced robot nurse is ordered by a doctor to forcefully medicate an unwilling patient. Participants were more accepting of a human nurse's than a robot nurse's forceful medication of the patient, and more accepting of (human or robot) nurses who respected patient autonomy rather than those that followed the orders to forcefully medicate (Study 2). The findings were robust against the perceived competence of the robot (Study 3), moral luck (whether the patient lived or died afterwards; Study 4), and command chain effects (Study 5; fully automated supervision or not). Thus, people prefer robots capable of disobeying orders in favour of abstract moral principles like valuing personal autonomy. Our studies fit in a new era in research, where moral psychological phenomena no longer reflect only interactions between people, but between people and autonomous AIs.

show abstract

The Singularity, Superintelligent Machines, and Mind Uploading: The Technological Future?

Diéguez,

García-Barranquero

2023

The International Library of Ethics, Law and Technology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The dark path to eternal life: Machiavellianism predicts approval of mind upload technology

Cited by 20 publications

References 36 publications

Super-Men and Wonder-Women: The Relationship between the Acceptance of Trans- and Posthumanistic Self-Enhancement, Personality, and Values

Super-Men and Wonder-Women: The Relationship between the Acceptance of Trans- and Posthumanistic Self-Enhancement, Personality, and Values

Moral psychology of nursing robots: Exploring the role of robots in dilemmas of patient autonomy

The Singularity, Superintelligent Machines, and Mind Uploading: The Technological Future?

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About