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St. Thomas Law Review

Blake Landis

First Page

127

Document Type

Comment

Abstract

As a child in the 1990s, I was captivated by the rapid evolution of technology. I recall the days of recording my favorite TV show on a VCR and inserting a cassette into my Walkman to enjoy music. Today, recording a favorite show is as simple as clicking a button on a DVR or using remote voice control. Similarly, I can listen to any song with a few taps on my smartphone. This technological progress brings to mind the story of Frankenstein, in which a young scientist, Victor Frankenstein, becomes obsessed with creating life. He succeeds in creating a humanoid creature but, realizing the horror of his creation, abandons it. Mary Shelley's novel superbly exemplifies the moral and ethical dilemmas associated with technological advancements that are likely to occur in the coming decades. Do the benefits of novel creations outweigh the consequences, or is it the other way around? One of the ethical principles to consider is the balance between beneficence and non-maleficence, which is the obligation to do good and avoid causing harm. With the growth in modem science comes advances to the field of neurotechnology, specifically brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). For example, one notable player in this field is Neuralink, a company founded by Elon Musk, which aims to develop advanced BCIs for various applications. However, the misuse of implantable BCIs poses significant bioethical concerns related to privacy, autonomy, and potential abuse of power. Specifically, the rapid advancements in this field have prompted complex bioethical concerns, as scholars and practitioners wrestle with issues of autonomy, privacy, and potential misuse. It is crucial to thoroughly examine these concerns and implement regulations to protect individual rights. In this Comment, I will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of BCIs, their implications for bioethics, and the challenges of legal self-regulation that may arise in the future as BCI technology advances. Furthermore, I will address the perspectives of both advocates and critics of BCI technology to provide a comprehensive analysis of this emerging field.

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