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Protecting the Mind pp 141–155Cite as

Mental Privacy and Neuroprotection: An Open Debate

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Part of the Ethics of Science and Technology Assessment book series (ETHICSSCI,volume 49)

Abstract

Current advances in neurotechnology are allowing the gradual decoding of neural information at the basis of a number of conscious mental states with unprecedented level of accuracy. Such developments, it is suggested, might give scientists the possibility to ‘read minds’, opening the debate about how to protect mental privacy, that is, the control that subjects have over the access to their own neural data and all relevant information about their mental processes and states that can be obtained by analyzing such data. In this chapter, we oppose those that deny the urgent need for a current discussion of this issue, offering some arguments to motivate and inform the debate. Finally, we examine some of the problems contained in the organic approach to mental privacy, namely, the idea that neural data should be protected by the laws for organ transplantation and donation.

Keywords

  • Mental privacy
  • Neuroprotection
  • Neurotechnologies
  • Neurorights

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Philosophy and Humanities, Universidad Alberto Hurtado, Santiago de Chile, Chile

    Abel Wajnerman

  2. School of Psychology, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile

    Pablo López-Silva

Authors
  1. Abel Wajnerman
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  2. Pablo López-Silva
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaiso, Chile

    Prof. Pablo López-Silva

  2. Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain

    Prof. Luca Valera

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Wajnerman, A., López-Silva, P. (2022). Mental Privacy and Neuroprotection: An Open Debate. In: López-Silva, P., Valera, L. (eds) Protecting the Mind. Ethics of Science and Technology Assessment, vol 49. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-94032-4_12

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