title: [Neurocosmetics, transhumanism and eliminative materialism: toward new ways of eugenics].
abstract: In this paper I present similarities and connections between Transhumanism and Eliminative Materialism. Concretely, I study the arguments with which in both positions it is defended a merely instrumental idea of human body and, because of that, one infinitely mouldable. First, I show the social relevance of this idea and its projections in phenomena as medicalization of human condition and, especially, cosmetic psychopharmacology. Besides, I denounce that such influences are caused by illegitimate transference of authority between philosophical and scientific forums. Second, according to my analysis, these new postmodern fashions of chemical sentimentalism (related with radical changes on personal identity and human nature) drive to new eugenic forms what I name autoeugenics. Finally, I call attention to the important role of utopian speeches about the science of tomorrow and super-human civilization in a Carpe Diem society. In my conclusions, I claim that historical reasoning or warnings about what is coming are not efficient strategies to control neither new psychopharmacological habits nor passivity generated by them. Returning social confidence in the power of reason to achieve reality (and other human beings) is, in my opinion, the best way to rehabilitate a more and more devalued human action.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Cultura y Sociedad /Departamento de Humanidades Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Navarra, Navarre, Spain. lecharte@unav.es
authors.forename: Luis E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Echarte Alonso
mesh_terms: D005053:Eugenics / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D006808:Humanism; D006801:Humans; D010684:Philosophy; D012060:Rejuvenation; D012064:Relaxation Therapy