The Brain Supremacy

The title of this book refers to the promise of neuroscience with its capacity to shape us and our self-understanding; this also offers some human beings the power to manipulate human nature mechanically and directly by changing the brain. She sees brain research as promoting an organic approach to consciousness and rejecting any notion of spiritual essence, although these do not necessarily have to be mutually exclusive. She argues that the change is already underway in terms of the impact of neuroscience on society, for instance in terms of the law, child development, entertainment and communications. Since new ethical issues arise from these developments, it becomes more important for there to be an informed public to discuss and debate them. It is also clear that these developments – like any new technology - can be misused. The book ranges widely through themes such as mind reading, designer minds, new scanning technologies, various types of enhancement, neurochemistry and genetics, and even digitised neural experience. Ultimately, the issues raised are ethical and moral and have to do with the continued development of a manipulative mind-set that can be used for both improvement and destruction - balancing what she calls the wisdom of Athene with the gift of Prometheus. This is a thoughtful guide to a rapidly advancing field and its implications.