The development of science and technology has a great influence on society and poses many problems that are related to values and ethics. In this program we shall examine philosophical and ethical problems of brain sciences and society from three perspectives.
First, the advancement of the brain sciences might produce such technology as mind-reading and medical enhancement of intelligence. This could present serious ethical problems. We shall study these problems.
Second, the advancement of the brain sciences might drastically change current views of human beings, for instance, the denial of free-will, the brain's control over actions, etc. Comparing the brain sciences with evolutionary biology, we shall investigate whether the former can change views of human beings, as did the latter. Furthermore, we shall scrutinize the philosophical and ethical implications of such a change.
Third, by revealing how brain mechanisms produce ethical actions, the brain sciences might uncover the realities of our ethical actions, undermine existing ethics, and promote the naturalization of ethics. We shall consider what such naturalization of ethics is like and what it brings to us.
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