Pojęcie enhancement w filozofii Johna Harrisa

Abstract

The subject of my dissertation is the meaning of the notion of enhancement in John Harris' philosophy. In my thesis, I try not only to present Harris' specific understanding of the word, to show how the word functions in his ethical thought, but also to put his considerations into the broader context of the safety of humanity and the duty of persons to make the world a better place. Over the course of four chapters, I attempt to provide an outline of Harris' ethical philosophy, show the convergence of the goal of enhancement and science, which is the welfare and safety of humanity, show the philosophical basis of Harris' thought that can be found in Herbert Hart, discuss the obligation to conduct and participate in research and its relationship to enhancement, and reconstruct the author's arguments regarding people's responsibility for themselves and others. I also present an analysis of Harris’ survival lottery thought experiment and his elaboration of the concept of violence and negative actions. The purpose of my study is not so much to juxtapose the author's theses with competing theses and determine whether his concept is better or not, but to try to give voice to the author. I try to understand the mindset of the author, to offer some structuring of his thoughts, to lay out John Harris' way of reasoning and his vision of ethics.