University of Twente Student Theses
The Justifiability Of Memory Dampening Pharmaceuticals : An Ethical Assessment Of Pharmaceuticals Used To Emotionally Dampen Ordinary Narrative Memories
Hendrikx, M.G.J. (2018) The Justifiability Of Memory Dampening Pharmaceuticals : An Ethical Assessment Of Pharmaceuticals Used To Emotionally Dampen Ordinary Narrative Memories.
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| Abstract: | Emotional memory dampening technologies are emergent technologies that can diminish the negative emotional impact related of emotionally laden memories. Such technologies seem as of now especially promising in helping people that suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder to alleviate their suffering by diminishing the extreme emotional arousal that accompanies their traumatic memories. However, a more speculative potential future use of memory dampening technology lies in the emotionally dampening of non-traumatic ordinary narrative memories, such as the emotional memories attached to a bad breakup. This everyday use of memory dampening technology poses pressing ethical issues, among which the issue of the persistence of identity. In this thesis, we look at this specific ethical issue of persistence of identity. We focus on one memory dampening agent that has been the subject of recent research in particular - the drug propranolol. In this thesis, we will try to answer the question whether the everyday use of propranolol to emotionally dampen ordinary narrative memories can be ethically justified when the discussion is placed specifically within the contours of the debate surrounding memory dampening technology and the persistence of identity. The conclusion is that in the specific context we argue from, the everyday use of propranolol to emotionally dampen ordinary narrative memories can indeed be ethically justified. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 08 philosophy, 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Philosophy of Science, Technology and Society MSc (60024) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/75127 |
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