Lecture on neurotechnologies and human rights at the Viadrina

The event will take place in the Gräfin Dönhoff Building, Europaplatz 1, Lecture Hall 7, and is organized by the Chair of Prof. Dr. Dr. Markus P. Beham, as part of the new public lecture series "Viadrina International Law in Practice".

Current developments in the field of neurotechnologies show that they have the potential to fundamentally change our everyday lives and social processes. Devices that connect the brain with computers – so-called brain-computer interfaces – can already measure certain signals from the brain and translate them into applications. While such technologies open up great opportunities in medicine, for example for people with physical disabilities, new risks arise at the same time, particularly in the area of commercial or so-called lifestyle applications.

This brings fundamental questions to the fore that affect people's personal rights, health and coexistence. The German Ethics Council has therefore decided to examine neurotechnologies more closely. In his lecture, Hans-Georg Dederer will examine in particular whether the existing international protection of human rights is sufficient as a framework of international law – or whether new specific "neurorights" are needed, as is increasingly being demanded internationally.
 

About the person
Hans-Georg Dederer is Professor of Constitutional and Administrative Law, Public International Law, European and International Economic Law at the University of Passau and a member of the German Ethics Council. His academic work focuses, among other things, on issues of international human rights protection, bio- and technology law and the normative challenges of new future technologies.