Monday, November 10, 2008

brain mapping

More too often, scientists face the dilemma that an advent of a technology is undesirably attached with unethical abuses. Brain mapping is a case in point. It can predict brain diseases and investigate criminal cases through brain images scan. Yet, it is also subject to violate people’s privacy. Three ways can be adopted to minimize the unethical usages of brain mapping.

A mature legal environment is the most powerful means to limit the unethical usages of brain mapping. Experience related to intellectual properties cross countries can be borrowed to modify the related laws. Such explicit instructions give a direct warning to those who are intended to take advantage of the imperfectness of the law. Using legal consequences to suppress the abuses is quite passive, yet we cannot ignore its effectiveness.

To further eliminate the unethical uses, researchers, who have a comprehensive understanding of their technology, should tailor a series of prevention measures. For brain mapping, the usages are restricted to certain jobs employment and brain disorder check. Therefore, clear criteria shall be set up to judge the eligibility of cases that fall into these categories. Regulated guidelines can save unnecessary effort to deal with the ethical issues in advance.

The third way to minimize the unethical usage is to improve public overall awareness. This method addresses the root of the issue; however, it will take a long time to be effective.

In all, technology abuse cannot be wiped out so far. To minimize the negative effect on society, a mature legal environment is needed; researchers should make their effort to establish guild lines for prevention; education to improve public awareness is also essential.