Psychedelics for Moral Bioenhancement in Healthy Individuals—A Violation of the Non-Maleficence Principle?
Psychoactives – February 06, 2025
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
A compelling Neuroethics perspective challenges the notion that psychedelics, like psilocybin, can achieve moral bioenhancement. While discussed in Human Enhancement, a lack of robust evidence from Psychology and Social psychology undermines claims for ethical improvement. Psychedelics and Drug Studies reveal risks like hallucinogenic properties and psychosis. Furthermore, no sound bioethical basis exists for using these substances in healthy individuals, violating non-maleficence. Without unequivocal demonstration or non-hallucinogenic Biomedical Innovations, current proposals for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Studies remain untenable, lacking the necessary justification.
Abstract
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.