Ethics and Social Dimensions of Neurotechnology | Analysis

The text analyzes the transition of neurotechnology from the clinical to the social sphere, pointing to the risk of deepening inequalities. The author considers how access to brain-computer interfaces (BCI) may become a tool for the reproduction of power and capital, utilizing Robert Merton's theories (the Matthew effect), Pierre Bourdieu, and Fred Hirsch's concept of positional goods. The main problem is not the technology itself, but its embedding in competitive systems, where a slight cognitive advantage can accumulate into a vast social distance. In the face of these threats, key questions arise regarding the structure of subjectivity, control over neural data, and the actual voluntariness of enhancements in a world dominated by pressure for efficiency and institutional selection.