Moving Beyond Concerns of Autonomy

摘要

In "A Threat to Autonomy? The Intrusion of Predictive Brain Implants," Frederic Gilbert (2015) suggests several hypothetical ethical concerns regarding the use of predictive brain implants (PBI) as therapeutic devices to control undesirable behaviors, such as violent behavior or impulsive sexual urges. However, I suggest controlling or preventing patient autonomy is not one of them because a patient's decision to use PBI is consistent withGilbert's accounts of patient autonomy and a decision that limits or lessens future behaviors or choices does not necessarily limit a patient's autonomy. Moreover, themodality of the intervention that limits or lessens future behaviors or choices is ethically irrelevant. The implication is that discussions about the ethics of using PBI to control undesirable behaviors should move beyond concerns of autonomy to the conditions and limitations in implementing these devices.