Equality and Right to Development as Neuroethical Concerns: Assuring Defendants' Rights

摘要

Criminal investigation is now more sophisticated than ever, and the public imagination is permeated by television series such as CSI, NCIS and Justice. An investigation being conducted with so many resources, with so much care and detail, is undoubtedly fascinating. Imaging techniques, like electroencephalography, positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and functional magnetic resonance imaging have been extensively used in life sciences research and in clinical diagnosis. More recently, forensic sciences and courtrooms are likely to apply variations of those new techniques in lie detection, as an alternative to polygraphs, the inaccuracy of which was famous. In his article, Meegan (2008) presents methods of neuroimaging for memory detection and their potential use in courtrooms. Since brain has replaced heart as the most prestigious human organ and 21st century is known as a "neurocentric age" (Rose 2005), sustaining an accusation based on neuroscientific evidence has an undeniable persuasive appeal.