What is neuroethics? Empirical and theoretical neuroethics.
OBJECTIVE
Neuroethics is a recently emerging field that deals with predominantly empirical and practical issues of ethics in neuroscience. In contrast, theoretical and methodological considerations have rather been neglected and thus what may be called theoretical neuroethics.


RESULTS
The review focuses on informed consent and moral judgment as examples of empirical neuroethics and norm-fact circularity and method-based neuroethics as issues of a theoretical neuroethics.


CONCLUSIONS
It is argued that we need to consider theoretical and methodological issues in order to develop neuroethics as a distinct discipline, which as such can be distinguished from both philosophy/ethics and neuroscience.
Northoff
Georg
G
Canada Research Chair for Mind, Brain and Neuroethics, Michael Smith Chair for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Georg.northoff@rohcg.ca
D004644:Emotions; D004995:Ethics, Professional; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D007600:Judgment; D009014:Morals; D009488:Neurosciences / Q000941:ethics*; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000941:ethics*