Neuroethik – ein Überblick über Anwendungsgebiete und zentrale Fragestellungen

Neuroethics is an approach to applied ethics that deals with different fields of activity in neuroscience and neuromedicine. A key goal of neuroethics is to provide the relevant actors with ethical orientation and to support them in their actions based on interdisciplinary research. The scope of neuroethics primarily includes basic neuroscientific research, clinical interventions in neurology, and neurotechnology. Specific ethical challenges arise in each of these fields of action. This article discusses some of these challenges and associated ethical issues. These include ethical aspects of neuroimaging, the debate on irreversible brain function loss as a death criterion, and implications of neuroenhancement. Philosophical–ethical topics such as personality and personal rights, the understanding of consciousness, and the permissibility of improving cognitive abilities using technical means are addressed. This article only provides an overview that is intended as an introduction to the topic and encouragement for more in-depth exploration.