https://neurosciencenews.com/neuroscience-topics/neuroethics/ Neuroscience News provides research news for neuroscience, neurology, psychology, AI, brain science, mental health, robotics and cognitive sciences. Sun, 15 Mar 2026 16:43:20 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://neurosciencenews.com/files/2020/08/cropped-Neuroscience-News-Site-Icon-512-comp-32x32.jpg https://neurosciencenews.com/neuroscience-topics/neuroethics/ 32 32 66008408 https://neurosciencenews.com/neurology-spiritual-care-30321/ https://neurosciencenews.com/neurology-spiritual-care-30321/#respond Sun, 15 Mar 2026 16:43:17 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=115454 New research highlights why addressing spiritual and existential concerns is vital for patients facing the identity-stripping effects of neurological disease.]]> https://neurosciencenews.com/neurology-spiritual-care-30321/feed/ 0 115454 https://neurosciencenews.com/ai-resurrection-spectral-labor-30162/ https://neurosciencenews.com/ai-resurrection-spectral-labor-30162/#respond Fri, 20 Feb 2026 19:34:39 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=114838 A new study explores the rise of "AI resurrections," where generative AI reanimates the dead for entertainment, politics, and grieving.]]> https://neurosciencenews.com/ai-resurrection-spectral-labor-30162/feed/ 0 114838 https://neurosciencenews.com/ai-free-will-ethics-28919/ Wed, 14 May 2025 13:45:13 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=109920 A new study argues that some generative AI agents meet all three philosophical criteria for free will: agency, choice, and control. Drawing from theories by Dennett and List, researchers examined AI agents like Minecraft’s Voyager and fictional autonomous drones, concluding that they exhibit functional free will. ]]> 109920 https://neurosciencenews.com/bodily-awareness-morality-28819/ Tue, 06 May 2025 13:35:42 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=109519 New research shows that people’s sensitivity to their internal bodily signals influences how closely they align with group moral preferences in dilemmas. Participants who were more aware of their heartbeat and internal states tended to make ethical choices that matched the group consensus. ]]> 109519 https://neurosciencenews.com/ai-human-relationships-ethics-psychology-28608/ Fri, 11 Apr 2025 21:57:51 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=108636 As AI technologies grow more human-like, some people are forming deep, long-term emotional bonds with them, even engaging in non-legally binding marriages. A recent opinion paper explores the ethical risks of such relationships, including their potential to undermine human-human connections and provide dangerous or manipulative advice. ]]> 108636 https://neurosciencenews.com/moral-values-seasons-psychology-37540/ Fri, 09 Aug 2024 12:02:47 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=104078 A study has found that people's endorsement of moral values fluctuates seasonally, with group-focused values like loyalty, authority, and purity being more strongly supported in spring and fall. This fluctuation has significant implications for politics, legal decisions, and public health, as shifts in moral values can influence behaviors and judgments. The research also suggests a link between anxiety levels and these moral shifts, pointing to the potential impact of seasonal changes on societal outcomes.]]> 104078 https://neurosciencenews.com/partisan-politics-morality-psychology-26450/ Tue, 16 Jul 2024 21:54:51 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=103707 A study reveals that Democrats and Republicans overestimate how much the opposing party approves of clearly immoral acts like theft or animal abuse. This "basic morality bias" is evident in social media posts and survey results, leading to increased political animosity. ]]> 103707 https://neurosciencenews.com/organoids-personhood-neuroethics-26348/ Thu, 20 Jun 2024 19:14:37 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=103261 Advances in organoids and embryonic models raise questions about human individuality. A new study argues these models can reinforce, not weaken, the concept of human individuality when viewed through personhood and sentience frameworks. Researchers emphasize that current technologies are far from achieving personhood in embryo models or organoids. The ethical focus should remain on the wellbeing of actual persons and sentient beings.]]> 103261 https://neurosciencenews.com/research-ethics-25667/ Mon, 26 Feb 2024 23:05:07 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=100297 A new study identifies significant overestimation among researchers regarding their adherence to good research practice compared to their peers. Surveying over 11,000 Swedish researchers, the study uncovers a widespread belief in one's own ethical superiority, not just individually but also across entire research fields. ]]> 100297 https://neurosciencenews.com/neuralink-bci-neuroethics-255555/ https://neurosciencenews.com/neuralink-bci-neuroethics-255555/#comments Sun, 04 Feb 2024 15:39:24 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=99836 Elon Musk announces the first human has been successfully implanted with Neuralink's brain chip, named Telepathy, aiming to allow severe physically disabled individuals to control devices via thought. The FDA-approved trial focuses on the implant's potential for movement control, with the patient reportedly recovering well and showing promising initial results. ]]> https://neurosciencenews.com/neuralink-bci-neuroethics-255555/feed/ 2 99836 https://neurosciencenews.com/ai-chatbot-poetry-ethics-25442/ Wed, 10 Jan 2024 15:35:24 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=99332 AI chatbots, like ChatGPT, are capable of memorizing and reproducing poems, even if they are copyrighted. The research highlights ethical concerns about how AI models are trained, potentially using data scraped from the internet, including copyrighted material. ]]> 99332 https://neurosciencenews.com/ai-dead-reanimation-neuroethics-25427/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 16:33:33 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=99269 New research explores public attitudes towards digital resurrection of the deceased based on consent. Participants were presented with scenarios where a woman's digital version could be brought back with or without her consent. Results showed a significant shift in acceptability when consent was expressed, highlighting the importance of the deceased's wishes. ]]> 99269