Important Information for Lecture 3 (02/06/08)

[Shirley]

There are three important pieces of information you need for Lecture
3:

1. Please make sure you have completed the class preparation
assignment for Feb. 6.
a. Explore the field (About 1 hour): There is much good material
available on the web. For a quick overview, start with the Wikipedia
article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuroethics.
Then review the history of the field and check the Resources section
of the Neuroethics Society website: http://www.neuroethicssociety.org
Take a look at the neuroethics page of the Dana Foundation website:
http://www.dana.org/neuroethics/
b. Read this report (about 1/2 hour): "Policy Implications of
Technologies for Cognitive Enhancement." www.cspo.org/documents/FinalEnhancedCognitionReport.pdf.
The British report "Boosting Your Brainpower," linked on the main page
of the class Google group, is longer, goes into more detail many of
the technologies and issues, is very good if you have time to read it.
The assigned report, however, addresses both "metaethics" issues (in
this case, how different perspectives and value-orientations lead to
varying ethical concerns) and "applied ethics" issues (in this case,
how the differing perspectives lead to differing approaches to
governing neuroscience and "neuroengineering."
c. Write a story (about 1/2 hour): Based on your reading, write a
scenario or story (of about one or two paragraphs) illustrating a
neuroscience/engineering related ethical issue that you found
especially interesting. Be prepared to read and discuss the scenario
in class.

2. Parking will be a challenge due to an fMRI class. If parking is not
available on the north side of the building, you may park behind the
building on the west side.

3. This week our class will be held in the cafeteria instead of the
original classroom. The cafeteria is located immediately south of our
original room.

See you there!