title: Moral Bioenhancement, Freedom and Reason.
abstract: In this paper we reply to the most important objections to our advocacy of moral enhancement by biomedical means - moral bioenhancement - that John Harris advances in his new bookHow to be Good. These objections are to effect that such moral enhancement undercuts both moral reasoning and freedom. The latter objection is directed more specifically at what we have called the God Machine, a super-duper computer which predicts our decisions and prevents decisions to perpertrate morally atrocious acts. In reply, we argue first that effective moral bioenhancement presupposes moral reasoning rather than undermines it. Secondly, that the God Machine would leave us with extensive freedom and that the restrictions it imposes on it are morally justified by the prevention of harm to victims.
authors.affiliation: Philosophy, Linguistics, and the Theory of Science, Göteborgs Universitet, Gothenburg, Sweden ; Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, Oxford, England UK.
authors.forename: Ingmar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Persson
authors.affiliation: Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, University of Oxford, Suite 8, Littlegate House, St Ebbe's Street, Oxford, OX1 1PT UK.
authors.forename: Julian
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1691-6403
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Savulescu
keywords: Coercion; Freedom; Moral bioenhancement; Reason; Responsibility