Ricerc@Sapienza

We comment on a recent attempt to justify the coercive moral bioenhancement (MB) of psychopaths as an extensionof the idea that psychopaths’ cognitive-affective system would justify MB of other psychopaths. Firstly, we state that this account is flawed. Specifically, psychopaths follow what we may call a Dark Rule - an antithetic version of the Golden Rule – according to which they believe and feel that one can treat others, in ways that one would not like to be treated. This means their reasons cannot be made universal on this basis. Secondly, we oppose coercion of MB, even when justified by public reasons of social security. Aligning with recent international standards and considering the difficulties surrounding the diagnosis of psychopathy, we defend the view that the right to refuse MB must be protected.