[ExI] NY Times: brain enhancement and life extension

[spike at rainier66.com]

-----Original Message-----
From: extropy-chat <extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org> On Behalf Of
Bill Hibbard
Subject: [ExI] NY Times: brain enhancement and life extension

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/02/health/klotho-brain-enhancement-dementia-
alzheimers.html

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Thanks Bill.  

I am amused by ethicists who struggle with these kinds of questions.
Reasoning: if a cure for Alzheimers is discovered, of course that is ethical
to use, and unethical to refuse it, or fail to use it if available.

Now we make the very reasonable extrapolation and ask what if it enhances
everyone's brain?

The ethicists fret and stew over whether it is ethical for people who are
already smart and rich to use it.  I tell them, don't worry for a minute:
you can't stop them.  No society has been able to stop drug abuse for
recreational purposes. We couldn't do anything analogous to blood tests top
athletes must take: you can't make students do those.  So don't worry, there
is no stopping it: everyone who access to any brain enhancement medication
will use it.

spike