The reading titled, The Ethical Brain brought about many diverse topics, all in which provoked a lot of individual though and opinion. This reading was stimulating due to the fact that every chapter was unique and examined a different subject matter. The author, Michael Gazzaniga, examines topics surrounding issues with how we make decisions and interpret ethical matters occurring in our lives.
Gazzaniga starts off by sharing his beliefs regarding how a fertilized cell cannot and should not be referred to as a human being (3). However, he thinks that after 14 days this idea is changed because this is when brain activity begins to take lead (5). It seemed as though a lot of Gazzaniga’s reasoning in regards to this topic, along the book itself, was based upon the level of development and functionality of the brain in terms of distinguishing moral status.
Michael Gazzaniga also covers topics focusing on the process of aging and in what condition decisions should be made for those struggling from a brain decaying disease, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s (23). Gazzaniga provides an example concerning the refusal of antibiotics to a patient with dementia because of a document that was signed indicating that she should not be treated for any illness if she had previously been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia (29). It was also mentioned that it may be more difficult for the people who spend time with someone who has Alzheimer’s because they are essentially watching the patient slowly decline (27).
Another topic that Gazzaniga touched on was whether or not it is ethical to “select” the most beneficial genes for your child. (37) Tests such as pregenetic diagnosis (PGD) have been used to screen for abnormalities to the fetus and possibly prevent issues with the pregnancy later down the road (42). The difference between nature and nurture was brought up in regards to child development. Genetics certainly play a role in IQ levels and appearance; however, environmental and other external factors distinguish personality and behavioral traits (44-45).
It has been discovered that people use drugs and other body enhancers to increase their academic or athletic performance. It was confirmed that the use these enhancers has led people to having an unfair advantage, while others are performing based on their natural abilities (56). Michael Gazzaniga believes that brain activity, genetics, practice, and dedication all contribute to the overall expertise that one has with sports, musical talent, or other activities (59). Richard Ivry agrees with this statement by affirming the fact that one’s drive and motivation determines their talent in that specific area (59). On page 70, the author goes on to say that improving motor skills should be considered cheating, however, the use of supplements to enhance mental abilities should not be considered cheating.
Michael Gazzaniga makes the assumption that a majority of the population would choose not to inject cognitive enhancers because it would interfere with our daily lives (77). People have the opportunity to take brain enhancers to increase their intelligence, but one needs to keep in mind the various side effects that come with the use of drugs and other supplements (72). It is primarily up to the individual to choose whether or not they would like to consume these substances and risk the side effects or refrain from cognitive enhancers all together.
Michael Gazzaniga believes that humans should be blamed for their actions rather than be let off the hook because the ”brain” is what forced them into making that decision (89). It was fascinating to discover that the brain makes decisions in our lives, both good and bad, before we are aware of the outcome (93). Humans are constantly trying to read the minds of others, whether through facial expressions, tone of voice, or body language. Our brains can be scanned using an fMRI, which is a machine that is able to detect how we respond to certain stimuli (104). Dave Schraer brings up his idea of creating an ATM machine capable of detecting our emotions based on facial expressions (115). However, there is some concern that this development may be crossing the line and invading our privacy.
Recalling memories is a difficult task and there are many instances in our lives where we recall false details or formulate information that is nonexistent. This can be a major issue in situations involving eyewitness testimonies, criminal identification, or recalling information from a specific event (124). It has also been discovered that the way in which questions are phrased could potentially interfere with our memories, thus, leading us to believe that something false actually happened. When dealing with serious issues and criminal behavior, it is essential to ask very open-ended questions, so responses are not fabricated based on the wording of the question.
Humans all contain a clear set of beliefs, but the theories that we believe in are where individual differences are established. There have been many experiments performed on split-brain patients that have shown the different functions of the left and right hemispheres of the brain (148). The left hemisphere controls the right side of the body and is responsible for logic and reasoning, while the right hemisphere regulates the left side of the body and specializes in matters concerning to creativity and imagination. It was also brought to attention that religious beliefs play a role in the social components of the brain, as well as in our day-to-day decision-making (153).
Human nature refers to the natural characteristics that we exhibit, which later leads us into how we think, behave, reason, and sympathize. The final chapter of this book talks about human survival and the fact that we are hardwired to make decisions. There was an example regarding seeing a man on the side of the road who was bloody and in need of serious help, but by helping him, it would ruin the brand new seats of your car (170). We face these types of dilemmas every day that force us to make decisions, however, individuals have different approaches and reasoning as to why they made their decision. A neurophilospher by the name of Joshua Greene, came to the conclusion that all of this boils down to whether or not the dilemma that one is faced with is a personal conflict of interest or an impersonal conflict of interest (170). In other words, a personal conflict of interest has personal benefits from resolving the situation, while an impersonal conflict of interest has outcomes that strictly benefits others.
Class discussions allow for a time to share our personal thoughts and opinions regarding topics relating to the reading. Jade raised an interesting point to the large group when we were discussing the topic of intelligence and the ability to “choose” your child’s genetic makeup (D). She wondered if the environmental resources that were provided for the child would play a part in intelligence levels, or if this were strictly due to genetics. Jade later added that if the family is able to afford in vitro fertilization (IVF), the child is likely to have an advantage with schooling and the ability to obtain and afford other educational resources.
Lincoln brought up the fact that we could be losing a detrimental part of our population due to the advancement of technology (D). For example, he mentioned that people with Down Syndrome are fully capable of living a happy life, but with the superior screening and tests that can be done during the pregnancy, people may choose a different route if they were notified that their child has Down syndrome or other genetic disorders. Lincoln’s overall statement summarized that we need to be careful when making these decisions because we do not want to cut short something that has potential to flourish and succeed in life.
In relation to Lincoln’s point mentioned above, Jade addressed the question, “If there were a cure for autism or Down syndrome, who would you be making it easier on? The caregivers or the person themselves?” (D). She believed that if there was a possibility of curing a person with autism or Down syndrome, it would make for less work of the caregiver or parents because the child would have more independence. I disagreed with this statement because I know many folks with Down syndrome who are completely independent and high functioning. I couldn’t help to think if it would be ethical to “cure” these individuals because that would result in manipulating an entire group of people.
CLASS SESSION 2: _____ comment about _____
It was interesting to see the amount of overlap that lies between the different fields of psychology. In the chapter titled, Better Brains Through Genes, Charles Darwin is brought up in regards to personality traits and heritability (46). Darwin proposed a theory based on the process of natural selection, which allowed me to revert back to what I had learned in my Intro to Social class considering attraction and our process of finding a romantic companion (C). Also, from my Intro to Developmental class, we spent a great deal of time distinguishing the differences in the personality of twins based on their shared and unshared environment (C). For example, the toys that are found in the household are considered part of the shared environment, while the friend groups or activities that the child participates in are seen as the unshared environment. It has been discovered that our unshared environment is primarily what shapes us because this is where we encounter unique situations and begin to develop a sense of self (47).
I took Intro into Cognition my freshman year, and I vividly remember talking about topics and situations relating to source misattribution and false memories (C). Our memories are flawed and unreliable a lot of the time, which is due to an issue known as misattribution. The book provided an example of misattribution where a woman recalled the “criminal’s” face, and later discovered that the face that she recognized was one that she had seen on television, rather than the man who actually committed the crime (130). In my Intro to Cognition class, we learned about the amount of mistakes that are made with eyewitness testimonies due to the fact that information can be easily misconstrued or fabricated (C). This can have major effects on the outcome of a situation because the information that one is portraying could be wrong, therefore accusing someone who is innocent. I conducted a research project in one of my religion classes regarding the book, Picking Cotton, which reminded me of the errors that people make with eyewitness testimonies. This book tells the story of a man who was wrongfully convicted of committing a crime and spent 11 years in prison before the truth came out with DNA sampling.
I really enjoyed the content that was addressed throughout this book and I felt as though this class provided a great opportunity for us to actually share our thoughts and opinions on these topics. I liked how the author dedicated each chapter to a different subject matter, therefore, allowing us to get a better sense of some of the moral dilemmas and ethical issues that we are faced with at this day and age. It was useful to have prior knowledge from other psychology classes while reading this book because I was familiar with the names of theorists and advanced terminology that Gazzaniga was presenting.
I personally believe that the mother should have the freedom to decide whether or not she would like to abort the fetus or carry out the pregnancy. Before these decisions are made, I think it is crucial to look into the future and determine that the child would be surrounded in a loving and safe environment, or if they would be exposed to dangerous or unsafe experiences. In these situations, it is best to make the decision based on what would be more beneficial for the child. However, I do not agree with James Watson’s perspective on allowing the mother to abort a child due to the lack of athletic ability or music talent that they would acquire (52). As we were discussing in class, this would allow for a specific group to be ruled out, which does not seem like the ethical decision to make. I understand that each and every case is different, but I think what is most important is to consider the child’s wellbeing and safety when pondering these decisions.
The author raises the question of whether or not cognitive enhancers are considered “cheating” if used to increase mental ability. I think that if doping in sports reflects cheating, cognitive enhancers should fall under this same category. When people are using or abusing these cognitive enhancers, it provides a certain group an unfair advantage. If everyone were to perform at their natural abilities, there would be a level playing field and everyone would have equal opportunities. I related this situation to my 15-year career as a gymnast, and thought about how disappointed I would be to find out my teammates or competitors were consuming substances to increase their performance. I would find this to be unfair because while they are using enhancers, I would be training and working hard to reach my goals.
Lastly, I think the risk of invading one’s privacy would be something to consider when thinking about mind-reading machines and other advanced equipment. That thought of my mood being evaluated by a machine, such as an AMT, makes me a bit skeptical about the amount of information that they would be attaining. Although I’m sure many positives would come out of these innovative features, such as previewing advertisements suitable to your interests and needs, I feel as though it would invade my personal space and make me feel like I am constantly being watched. If the mood detector were to be incorporated into ATM machines, I think it would be best to allow the individual to choose whether or not they would like to enable this feature.
All in all, The Ethical Brain raises many interesting points that relate to our everyday lives, whether we are aware of it or not. These readings provide a sense of the major role that science plays in determining our beliefs surrounding certain topics and issues. I believe that this book would be useful to those who are unsure or would like to learn more about the relationship between ethical issues and the responsibility that our mind has on decision-making.