NEUROLAW, NEUROTECHNOLOGY AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Neurotechnology has been developing at an extraordinarily fast pace, offering countless benefits to humanity.
This speed and quantity of benefits brought by Neurotechnology is enhanced when it is associated with Artificial Intelligence, which has raised ethical-legal questions about its impacts, considering the possibility of putting at risk the rights to physical and mental integrity, privacy, and identity, with repercussions that may even involve discriminatory treatment and even alter human nature itself. This is a situation that requires an urgent response from the Law. Some international organizations, such as the OECD, UNESCO and the OAS, have approved some documents, but without binding effects. At the state level, Chile is the only country in the world that has changed its constitution to protect so-called neurorights. In this context, this group aims to be a space for academic debate on the legal regulation of advances in Neurotechnology, with the aim of building ethical-legal parameters that can assist in the protection of neurorights, in order to guarantee a balance between the indispensable respect for human dignity and the unstoppable advancement of science.
The creation of this interest group is an initiative of the International Network of Neurolaw and Human Rights, (www.neurorights.com.br) created in 2021 and composed of researchers from the University of Fortaleza (Brazil), the Universidad Austral de Chile, the Universidad Externado de Colombia, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil) and Institute of Teaching and Research INSPER (Brazil).
Convenors
Ana Maria D’Ávila Lopes, Universidade de Fortaleza (Brazil)
Maria Concepción Rayón Ballesteros, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain)
Upcoming chapter events, projects, and activities
Over the next three years (2026-2029), anticipated Interest Group activities include:
- the creation of a public repository with bibliographic material on Neurolaw
- panels for international and national events, such as the annual meeting of ICON-S and Law and Society Association
- submit research projects to obtain public financing capable of making the activities viable
- publish papers and books involving all the members of the group and invited researchers
Contact
To join the interest group, or for further information, please fill contact Professor Ana Maria D’Ávila Lopes: anadavilalopes@unifor.br
