Adam J. Kolber (University of San Diego School of Law) has posted Freedom of Memory Today (Neuroethics, Vol. 1, p. 145, 2008) on SSRN. Here is the abstract:
Emerging technologies raise the possibility that we may be able to treat trauma victims by pharmaceutically dampening factual or emotional aspects of their memories. Such technologies raise a panoply of legal and ethical issues. While many of these issues remain off in the distance, some have already arisen.
In this brief commentary for the journal Neuroethics, I discuss a real-life case of memory erasure. The case reveals why the contours of our freedom of memory -- our limited bundle of rights to control our memories and be free of outside control -- already merit some attention.
Highly recommended--and even if this is outside your primary areas of interest, you will want to read the case described on the first two pages!
