Cognitive enhancement aims at amplifying or extending the abilities of the mind through internal or external hardware or software. Up until recently only internal software in the form of trained efficient mental algorithms and the general enhancing effects of paperbased information management was available. As cognitive neuroscience has advanced the range of potential internal enhancement treatments have increased3, as well as the availability and power of external hardware/software support.
Nick Bostrom Ph.D. is Professor of Applied Ethics at Oxford University, the Director of the Oxford Future of Humanity Institute, and co-founder and Senior Fellow of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies, and founding chair of the World Transhumanist Association (Humanity+).