Neuroethics & neurophilosophy: Understanding the human brain
Neuroscientific research and the increasing use of neurotechnologies raise a number of philosophical, ethical, social, and regulatory issues. The need to examine them has resulted in the development of a new field of research: neuroethics. This field is an interface between the empirical brain sciences, philosophy of mind, moral philosophy, ethics, and psychology, among other disciplines.
Three approaches to neuroethics
In our research, we focus primarily on fundamental neuroethics: basic research in neuroethics which shapes and informs our work on applied neuroethical issues. From a methodological perspective, we have introduced the distinction between:
- “Neurobioethics” (normative and prescriptive) that uses ethical theory and reasoning to address the practical issues arising from neuroscientific research and its clinical applications, and the issues raised by public communication of neuroscientific findings and their impact;
- “Empirical neuroethics” (mostly descriptive) uses empirical data to inform theoretical (e.g., what is moral reasoning) and practical issues (e.g., who is really a moral agent).
- “Conceptual neuroethics” undertakes conceptual clarification and uses conceptual analysis to address issues such as how neuroscientific knowledge is constructed and why or how empirical knowledge of the brain can be relevant to philosophical, social, and ethical concerns.
Our conceptual approach to fundamental neuroethics provides the theoretical framework to analyse practical issues, to examine ethical and neuroscientific concepts, and to address the impact of neuroscientific findings on society.
The Human Brain Project

The Human Brain Project is one of the European Community flagship projects and involves over 100 groups. Kathinka Evers leads the philosophical research.
Future issues

Evaluation of ethical issues have to be made in a systematic and informed manner, based on sound research and scholarship.
Neurotwin

Developing advanced brain models to treat Alzheimers disease and taking responsibility for the ethical and philosophical issues raised by brain research.
Our research team
The CRB neuroethics and philosophy research team is an international, multi-disciplinary group. Our backgrounds allow us to approach the issues raised by brain research from theoretical, philosophical, social, bio-political, and clinical perspectives. We collaborate closely with neuroscientists and ICT researchers to understand the ethical and philosophical questions that neuroscience and ICT bring.
We are actively involved in the European Community (FET) Flagship Human Brain Project where we undertake conceptual and normative reflection on the ethical, social, philosophical and regulatory issues that drive and arise from brain research.
Team members
- Kathinka Evers, Professor of Philosophy
- Michele Farisco, Associate Professor of Moral Philosophy & PhD Student
- Josepine Fernow, Communications
- Manuel Guerrero, PhD, Researcher
- Georg Northoff, PhD, Senior Researcher
- Arleen Salles, PhD Philosophy, Senior Researcher
- Karl Sallin, MD, PhD Student
- Pär Segerdahl, Associate Professor of Philosophy
Our collaborators
The neuroethics and neurophilosophy research team have long standing collaborations with Collège de France and the Pasteur Institute in Paris, and the Centro de Investigaciones Filosóficas (CIF) and the Institute of Cognitive Neurology (INECO) in Buenos Aires.
We also work with Universidad Central de Chile, Coma Research Group in Liege, the Canada Research Chair of Mind, Brain Imaging and Neuroethics and Centre for Health Law, Policy & Ethics in Ottawa, the Neuroethics Group of the Pellegrino Center for Clinical Bioethics of the Georgetown University in Washington DC, the Bioethics Unit of the Italian National Institute of Health in Rome, the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and the Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm. We also collaborate with Weill Cornell Medical College and CASBI (Consortium for the Advanced Study of Brain Injury, Well Cornell and Rockefeller University).
Our research endeavours
Neuroethics & RRI
Conceptual analysis

Answers to questions about transferring brain knowledge to medicine, law, philosophy, and health and social policy.
Artificial intelligence
Conceptual analysis

We expand AI ethics beyond the applied to answer the basic questions posed by the technology.
Consciousness
Conceptual analysis

We develop new theory of consciousness with notable implication for how the 'unconscious' is conceived.
Digital twins/Virtual brains

Tackling the philosophical, societal and ethical issues associated with Virtual Twin Brains.
Neuronal epigenesis
Conceptual analysis

We develop a conceptual analysis of neuronal epigenesis in relation infant development and education, learning language, and the development of philosophical and religious systems and ethical norms.
Neuroscience & identity
Exploring the issues

We use philosophical tools to analyse the notion of human identity, its meaning and value, and its relation to the debate on human nature.
Dual-use neuroscience

Developments in neuroscientific techniques and technologies are increasing the capability to assess and affect the structure and functions of the brain. We explore issues emerging from dual use of this research.
Pervasive refusal syndrome

Karl Sallin is studying pervasive refusal syndrome as a disorder of consciousness.
Recent publications
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Chandler, Jennifer A.; Cabrera, Laura Y.; Doshi, Paresh; Fecteau, Shirley; Fins, Joseph J.; Guinjoan, Salvador; Hamani, Clement; Herrera-Ferra, Karen; Honey, C. Michael; Illes, Judy; Kopell, Brian H.; Lipsman, Nir; McDonald, Patrick J.; Mayberg, Helen S.; Nadler, Roland; Nuttin, Bart; Oliveira-Maia, Albino J.; Rangel, Cristian; Ribeiro, Raphael; Salles, Arleen; Wu, Hemmings
International Legal Approaches to Neurosurgery for Psychiatric Disorders
2021
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Guerrero, Manuel
Bioética y Derechos Humanos en tiempos de pandemia: el fondo ético para la toma de decisiones en tiempos de emergencia
2020
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Northoff, Georg; Wainio-Theberge, Soren; Evers, Kathinka
Spatiotemporal neuroscience – what is it and why we need it
2020
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Evers, Kathinka
The Culture-Bound Brain: Epigenetic proaction revisited
2020
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Salles, Arleen; Farisco, Michele
Of Ethical Frameworks and Neuroethics in Big Neuroscience Projects: A View from the HBP
2020
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Aicardi, Christine; Akintoye, Simisola; Fothergill, B. Tyr; Guerrero, Manuel; Klinker, Gudrun; Knight, William; Klüver, Lars; Morel, Yannick; Morin, Fabrice O.; Stahl, Bernd; Ulnicane, Inga
Ethical and Social Aspectos of Neurorobotics
2020
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Farisco, Michele; Evers, Kathinka; Salles, Arleen
Towards Establishing Criteria for the Ethical Analysisof Artificial Intelligence
2020
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Grasenick, Karin; Guerrero, Manuel
Responsible Research and Innovation & Digital Inclusiveness during Covid-19 Crisis in the Human Brain Project (HBP)
2020
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Salles, Arleen; Evers, Kathinka; Farisco, Michele
Anthropomorphism in AI
2020
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Northoff, Georg; Wainio-Theberge, Soren; Evers, Kathinka
Is temporo-spatial dynamics the “common currency” of brain and mind?: In Quest of “Spatiotemporal Neuroscience”
2020
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Farisco, Michele
Brain, consciousness and disorders of consciousness at the intersection of neuroscience and philosophy
2019
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Salles, Arleen; Evers, Kathinka; Farisco, Michele
The Need for a Conceptual Expansion of Neuroethics
2019
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Pennartz, Cyriel M. A.; Farisco, Michele; Evers, Kathinka
Indicators and Criteria of Consciousness in Animals and Intelligent Machines: An Inside-Out Approach
2019
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Guerrero, Manuel; Del Villar, María Soledad; Hau, Boris; Johansson, María Teresa
Professions and Profiles:: Epistemic Communities and the Registration of Human Rights Violations
2019
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Larrivee, Denis; Farisco, Michele
Realigning the Neural Paradigm for Death
2019
Neuroethics & Philosophy of the Brain
The CRB neuroethics research team is an international, multi-disciplinary group. Our backgrounds allow us to approach these issues from theoretical, philosophical, social, bio-political and clinical perspectives. We collaborate closely with neuroscientists to understand the ethical and philosophical questions that neuroscience brings. In this report, we provide a summary of our research. The report was updated in November 2016. We are planning an update in the autumn 2020.
