Psychedelics for Moral Bioenhancement in Healthy Individuals—A Violation of the Non-Maleficence Principle?
Several authors have advanced the idea that psychedelics such as psilocybin might be effective means for achieving moral bioenhancement (MBE). Here, I discuss some reservations on this assertion from both neuropharmacological and bioethical perspectives, and surmised that there is little, if any, go...
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MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2813-1851/4/1/5 |
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| author | Bor Luen Tang |
| author_facet | Bor Luen Tang |
| author_sort | Bor Luen Tang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Several authors have advanced the idea that psychedelics such as psilocybin might be effective means for achieving moral bioenhancement (MBE). Here, I discuss some reservations on this assertion from both neuropharmacological and bioethical perspectives, and surmised that there is little, if any, good justification for such a claim. The indication of psychedelics for MBE is undermined by their hallucinogenic properties and the risk of adverse psychosis. There is also a lack of sound bioethical basis for using psychedelics to enhance morality. Based on our current understanding, the use of psychedelics specifically for MBE in healthy individuals would violate the ethical principle of non-maleficence. Unless there is unequivocal demonstration that psychedelics could enhance morality, or that new non-hallucinogenic derivatives become available, an indication for psychedelics in MBE would be untenable. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a1aa239d225a490fb7d060ecb87d2a53 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2813-1851 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Psychoactives |
| spelling | doaj-art-a1aa239d225a490fb7d060ecb87d2a532025-08-20T02:43:06ZengMDPI AGPsychoactives2813-18512025-02-0141510.3390/psychoactives4010005Psychedelics for Moral Bioenhancement in Healthy Individuals—A Violation of the Non-Maleficence Principle?Bor Luen Tang0Department of Biochemistry, National University of Singapore, MD7, 8 Medical Drive, Singapore 117596, SingaporeSeveral authors have advanced the idea that psychedelics such as psilocybin might be effective means for achieving moral bioenhancement (MBE). Here, I discuss some reservations on this assertion from both neuropharmacological and bioethical perspectives, and surmised that there is little, if any, good justification for such a claim. The indication of psychedelics for MBE is undermined by their hallucinogenic properties and the risk of adverse psychosis. There is also a lack of sound bioethical basis for using psychedelics to enhance morality. Based on our current understanding, the use of psychedelics specifically for MBE in healthy individuals would violate the ethical principle of non-maleficence. Unless there is unequivocal demonstration that psychedelics could enhance morality, or that new non-hallucinogenic derivatives become available, an indication for psychedelics in MBE would be untenable.https://www.mdpi.com/2813-1851/4/1/5moral bioenhancementpsilocybinpsychedelicsnon-maleficence |
| spellingShingle | Bor Luen Tang Psychedelics for Moral Bioenhancement in Healthy Individuals—A Violation of the Non-Maleficence Principle? Psychoactives moral bioenhancement psilocybin psychedelics non-maleficence |
| title | Psychedelics for Moral Bioenhancement in Healthy Individuals—A Violation of the Non-Maleficence Principle? |
| title_full | Psychedelics for Moral Bioenhancement in Healthy Individuals—A Violation of the Non-Maleficence Principle? |
| title_fullStr | Psychedelics for Moral Bioenhancement in Healthy Individuals—A Violation of the Non-Maleficence Principle? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Psychedelics for Moral Bioenhancement in Healthy Individuals—A Violation of the Non-Maleficence Principle? |
| title_short | Psychedelics for Moral Bioenhancement in Healthy Individuals—A Violation of the Non-Maleficence Principle? |
| title_sort | psychedelics for moral bioenhancement in healthy individuals a violation of the non maleficence principle |
| topic | moral bioenhancement psilocybin psychedelics non-maleficence |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2813-1851/4/1/5 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT borluentang psychedelicsformoralbioenhancementinhealthyindividualsaviolationofthenonmaleficenceprinciple |