Tuesday, November 11, 2008

How can we predict and minimize potential unethical abuses of brain mapping

Now, predicting what the people think does not only happen in the movie, the scientists have also developed a technology to improve our undertstanding of how the brain processes information and thoughts. This technology is called brain mapping. However, every coin has two sides. We need to consider both benefits and harms, and predict and minimize potential unethical abuses of brain mapping.
Firstly of all, let focus on the advantages of brain mapping. The research had shown that functional magnetic resonace imaging(FMRI) can detect and locate brain activity when a person thinks about a specific word. Hence, mental diseases like paranoid schizophrenia, semantic dementias and melancholia could be dealt with since brain mapping may help the doctors to understand what patients are thinking and then apply appropriate treatment.
on the contrary, we had to think more about the disadvantages and harms to us. Since this technology exist, a lot of ethical issues occur. For example, an ethical issue is that of consent, this is relevant to the national security or certain types of jobs. what would be the consequences if a criminal refuses? such a refusal would affect a jury regardless of a judge's instructions. For these reasons, society should establish standards now and preferably outside of the courtroom. Another controversial issue is the testng of children. some parents say they want to find out if their children is good at something. They won't wastes lessons on their children. But is this really true, or it really can predict what the child should be, we should study more.
Hence, how do predict and minimize the potential unethical abuses of brain mapping is very emperious? since so many ethical issues occur. we have to take some measures to minimize the damage. first, we should forbid this technology when the technology is very mature. Then decree some laws to avoid the abuses of this technolgy.
In conclusion, since brain mapping is not so mature or will take some ethical issues, we should consider both the benefits and harms, we should take wise decision.