Neurophilosophy as the Foundation of Neuroethics

Neurophilosophy provides the necessary methodological foundation for neuroethics, the discipline that evaluates the ethical implications of neurotechnologies such as implants, deep brain stimulation, and neuromarketing. By synthesizing neuroscience data with classical philosophical concepts, neurophilosophy creates a framework for analyzing challenges of brain intervention. It protects human dignity by preventing reduction of consciousness to neurocorrelates, developing criteria for personality authenticity during neuromodulations, and identifying fundamental limitations of neuroimaging.

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Abstract

The article substantiates the key role of neurophilosophy in the formation of the method­ological basis of neuroethics, the discipline responsible for the ethical assessment of neu­rotechnologies (implants, deep brain stimulation, neuromarketing). The author demonstrates that the neurophilosophical synthesis of neuroscience data with classical philosophical con­cepts creates the necessary framework for analyzing the challenges associated with brain in­tervention. It is shown that neurophilosophy, with the necessary epistemological skepticism, opens up opportunities for protecting human dignity: it prevents the reduction of conscious­ness to neurocorrelates, develops criteria for personality authenticity in neuromodulations, and also identifies fundamental limitations of neuroimaging. At the same time, the spread of neurotechnologies generates critical risks: the exploitation of neural vulnerabilities for commercial purposes, the loss of confidentiality of neural data and freedom of choice when influencing decision-making. Special attention is paid to the need for neurophilosophical re­flection to overcome key problems: ignoring subjective experience (qualia) in neurointerac­tions, manipulation of behavior through triggers of fear and shame, as well as incorrect in­terpretation of neuroscientific data. Without such a foundation, neuroethics is unable to ade­quately assess the ethical implications of technology, risking legitimizing practices that threaten human autonomy and identity.