UNESCO Chair Director of Medical Students Presents at International Neuroethics Society Meeting

Dominique J. Monlezun, UNESCO Chair Director for Medical Student Research, led his research team’s poster presentation at the International Neuroethics Society (INS) Annual Meeting this past October 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Monlezun´s team articulated an innovative “Neuroeconomic Personalism” at the INS meeting as a development of his recent presentation “Neuroeconomics-Virtue Model as Novel Clinical Ethics Common Ground” in Sao Paulo, Brazil, during the 8th International Conference on Clinical Ethics and Consultation in May 2012.

The poster “Neuroeconomic Personalism: Policy Implications for Compulsory Neuroenchancement in Reproductive Choices” shows an intriguing synthesis of neurological, political and metaphysical reflection. The poster expresses reflections Monlezun has developed regarding the need to complement John Rawl´s analysis of 20thcentury pluralist societies with the philosophic anthropology Karol Wojtyla.

In particular, Neuroeconomics is presented as a response to a growing promotion of neuroenhancement. Mandatory neuroenhancement via government-mandated vaccinations is an increasingly real political prospect in the quest to produce the “best” possible citizens.

In contrast to neuroenhancement promotions rooted in an anthropology that measures man´s worth based on his skills and accomplishments, Monlezun´s Neuroeconomics emphasizes the intrinsic dignity of the human person.

Monlezun´s system integrates insights from ongoing discussions with medical students and physicians from Harvard Medical School’s Massachusetts General Hospital, Colombia University, and Mayo Medical School, and other leading institutions centered on the promotion of human dignity amid scientific progress as expressed in the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights (2005) Article 3.

Please click here to download the poster and learn more about the development of Neuroeconomic Personalism and its possible applications.