Question

Imagine you are living 50 years in the future. Neuroscientists have completely mapped the human brain. Scientists and doctors now know exactly how causation in the brain works and can predict human behavior with 100% accuracy. They can tell by looking at brain scans and the chemistry of your brain what exactly prompted you to act the way you did in a given situation. In every case, they find that it is a combination of the situation you are in and the physical makeup of your brain. They also find out that the physical makeup of your brain has been created by the situations you have lived through such as your upbringing, in combination with your DNA.

Think about the following. If all that were true,

• Would free will exist? Why or why not?
• Should there be a justice system? On what basis would decisions be made?
• Would our concepts about morality change significantly? Why or why not?
• Would it change what you believe it means to be human?

Answer 1

Though this is not exactly related to anatomy, i will try to answer the question.

1. Since the human behavior is predictable, there will be no concept of free will. Based on the DNA, and upbringing the will be decided by the person. So though the decision is free or own, it is predictable.

2. Justice system should prevail. Whatever the reason for a crime is, it is not an excuse for violence or crimes like murder, rape kidnap etc. The decisions will have to be made like how it is made today, based on the seriousness of crime.

3. I guess the concepts of morality will change significantly. Today morality is a complex emotion. It will be predictable and same for a particular situation.

4. Definitely it will change what makes a human. A child will be bought up in a same way to produce ideal brain. This will result in uniformity.