Controlling Love - The Ethics and Desirability of Using ''Love Drugs''

Recent research in neurochemistry has shown there to be a number of chemical compounds that are implicated in the patterns of lust, attraction, and attachment that undergird romantic love. For example, there is evidence that the phenomenon of attachment is associated with the action of oxytocin and vasopressin. There is therefore some reason to suppose that patterns of lust, attraction, and attachment could be regulated via manipulation of these substances in the brain: in other words, by their use as 'love drugs'. A growing bioethical literature asks searching questions about this prospect, and especially about the use of such drugs to enhance or reignite attachment in flagging relationships. This Element examines some of the central arguments on the topic, and sounds a note of caution. It urges that there are reasons to think the states of attachment produced or facilitated by the use of such drugs would not be desirable.

Sommario

1. Introduction; 2. The Core Argument for the Use of Love Drugs; 3. The Relationship between Romantic Love and Biology: Avoiding Reductionism; 4. The Influence of Endomimetic Love Drugs: The Productive Account and the Facilitative Account; 5. The Object of Love, and the Object of the Use of Love Drugs; 6. In Search of True Love: The Issue of Authenticity; Notes; Bibliography.

Riassunto

This Element presents an original argument for regarding the prospect of 'love drugs' with caution, and provides a careful dissection of the existing literature on the subject.

Prefazione

This Element presents an original argument for regarding the prospect of 'love drugs' with caution.

Dettagli sul prodotto

• Autori: Peter Herissone-Kelly, Peter (University of Central Lanc Herissone-Kelly, Herissone-Kelly Peter
• Editore: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Lingue: Inglese
• Formato: Tascabile
• Pubblicazione: 31.10.2022
• EAN: 9781009299053
• ISBN: 978-1-0-0929905-3
• Pagine: 75
• Serie: Elements in Bioethics and Neuroethics
• Categorie: Saggistica > Psicologia, esoterismo, spiritualità, antroposofia > Psicologia: tematiche generali, opere di consultazione; Scienze sociali, diritto, economia > Sociologia > Teorie sociologiche; Scienze umane, arte, musica > Psicologia > Psicologia applicata; PSYCHOLOGY / Developmental / Child, Child & developmental psychology, Child, developmental and lifespan psychology