人类自由的促进抑或机器统治的崛起?——论脑机接口技术对自由意志的影响

The Promotion of Human Freedom or the Rise of Machine Rule?:On the Impact of Brain-Computer Interfaces on Free Will

脑机接口技术在医疗和娱乐产业展现出良好前景的同时,其对人类自由意志的潜在影响亦引发了广泛的关注。通过区分脑机接口的三种技术分类并以自由意志概念的三重内在规定为论述线索,我们能够更周密地考察不同类型的脑机接口技术对这些规定产生了何种具体影响。经由这一考察可以得出结论,如果该技术潜在的负面冲击可以通过技术和社会调控的双重手段得到遏制,它就可能在自身发展和完善的过程中将人类的自由意志推进到一个更为具体和充实的社会历史水平;反之,一幅机器统治的未来图景就并不是危言耸听。

While brain-computer interfaces(BCIs)afford novel approaches for humans to interact with the world,their potential impact on free will has also attracted widespread attention.After distinguishing three categories of BCIs,I proceed by considering the three-fold implications of the concept of free will and the respective impact of BCIs.It is shown that if the potential negative impacts of this technology can be constrained by dual means of technological and social regulation,it may advance human free will to a more concrete and fulfilling social-historical level.Otherwise,a futuristic picture of machine rule is not a significant exaggeration.