Bioethics and Human Enhancement: Philosophical Limits of Technological Progress

Abstract

Human enhancement technologies—ranging from genetic modification, cognitive augmentation, and neurotechnologies to artificial intelligence-mediated interventions—pose profound philosophical and ethical questions. While these technologies offer the potential to improve health, cognition, and human capacities, they challenge traditional moral frameworks and raise questions about the limits of technological progress. This paper examines the ethical and philosophical implications of human enhancement, analyzing the tension between human flourishing, autonomy, and the risks of hubris. Drawing on bioethical principles, theories of human nature, and philosophical perspectives from Kantian ethics, utilitarianism, transhumanism, and virtue ethics, the paper investigates how technological interventions may transform the human condition and explores limits to moral and social acceptability. The study concludes that while human enhancement holds promise, philosophical reflection, ethical deliberation, and public discourse are essential to guide the responsible integration of technology into human life.