Nowadays, neuroscience permits the unveiling of interior elements of hu-man beings - the perception of pain, the presence of consciousness and even the will - in the absence of external manifestations. Physicians, indeed, seem capable of measuring the true mental state of individuals and their inner world through an elec-troencephalography or a functional magnetic resonance imaging. This new frontier affects the world of law and places heavy demands for lawyers embroiled in end-of-life matters. The present paper focuses on the use of neuroscientific acquisitions within end-of-life decisions, aiming to highlight two risks embedded in this use: the utmost deference towards science and scientific authority and the maximization of self-determination. The paper will provide, at the beginning, a framework of case law and end-of-life regulatory attempts; it will follow the analysis of the main challenges posed to law by advances in neuroscience. In the latter part of this paper, we will of-fer food for thought on the role of neuroscience and - in a broader perspective - of science in law.

Neuroscience and end-of-life decisions. New anthropological challenges for constitutional law: «Is Human Nature the only science of man»? / G. Ragone, B. Vimercati. - In: BIOLAW JOURNAL. - ISSN 2284-4503. - 2017:3(2017 Nov), pp. 111-130. [10.15168/blj.v0i3.264]

Neuroscience and end-of-life decisions. New anthropological challenges for constitutional law: «Is Human Nature the only science of man»?

G. Ragone
;
B. Vimercati
2017

Abstract

Nowadays, neuroscience permits the unveiling of interior elements of hu-man beings - the perception of pain, the presence of consciousness and even the will - in the absence of external manifestations. Physicians, indeed, seem capable of measuring the true mental state of individuals and their inner world through an elec-troencephalography or a functional magnetic resonance imaging. This new frontier affects the world of law and places heavy demands for lawyers embroiled in end-of-life matters. The present paper focuses on the use of neuroscientific acquisitions within end-of-life decisions, aiming to highlight two risks embedded in this use: the utmost deference towards science and scientific authority and the maximization of self-determination. The paper will provide, at the beginning, a framework of case law and end-of-life regulatory attempts; it will follow the analysis of the main challenges posed to law by advances in neuroscience. In the latter part of this paper, we will of-fer food for thought on the role of neuroscience and - in a broader perspective - of science in law.
Neuroscience; end-of-life decisions; free will; self-determination; human dignity
Settore IUS/08 - Diritto Costituzionale
Settore IUS/21 - Diritto Pubblico Comparato
Settore IUS/20 - Filosofia del Diritto
nov-2017
http://www.biodiritto.org/ojs/index.php?journal=biolaw&page=article&op=view&path[]=264
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/531385
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