A Buddhist perspective

Again, religious groups do not appear to have a strong hold on the debate of cognitive enhancement, but Mr C (thanks!) provided me with a document with a Buddhist perspective to cognitive enhancement.


Buddhists have their own way of enhancing their minds, by meditation. Samantha and Maitri meditation. They both have their own ways of focusing their minds, and to 'cultivate insights into the nature of one's phenomenal experiences'. This way, Buddhists can be seen as enhancing their minds, giving them greater concentration skills, without the use of drugs.


Buddhists believe that from birth 'karmic forces inform both our characteristics at birth...and consequent characteristics of our lives'. Therefore, concerns from Buddhists may be that cognitive enhancement can effectively change the characteristics of the individual.


Buddhists value human life, but they also dislike being selfish, or self interested. Cognitive enhancement can be a way for individuals to give themselves more knowledge, with the motive of being better than another.


The conclusion states that a Buddhist 'may object as a matter of principle' to the use of cognitive enhancement, because it could create 'social or personal harm'. In the application of the document, if the enhancement would not harm the individual's social life, or if it is not taken for the increase of power or self-interest, then a Buddhist may support the use of it 'to maintain a coherent or consistent view of Buddhist practice and its value'.

Source: "Buddhism and Neuroethics: The ethics of Pharmaceutical Cognitive Enhancement." In Developing World Bioethics, by Andrew Fenton, 57-56. 2009.