The pursuit of cognitive and physical enhancement in humans raises profound ethical and practical questions, particularly as technological advances make such interventions increasingly feasible. This presentation examines the ethical frameworks and feasibility concerns surrounding human enhancement, focusing on issues such as autonomy, justice, authenticity, and societal impact. Special attention is given to emerging neurotechnologies—including both non-invasive brain stimulation (such as transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation) and invasive neural manipulation (like deep brain stimulation and brain-computer interfaces)—which offer unprecedented potential to augment human cognition, memory, and mood.
By drawing a parallel to the Warhammer 40,000 universe and the creation of Space Marines—genetically and physically enhanced super-soldiers—we explore the speculative extremes of enhancement and their moral implications. The Space Marines serve as a case study to interrogate real-world debates about the desirability, risks, and societal consequences of radical human augmentation. Space Marines exemplify the extremes of enhancement: loss of personal identity, social stratification, and the use of themselves as tools for warfare. Importantly, a recruit that is not suitable for enhancement is rejected, raising further concerns about exclusion and discrimination.
The narrative highlights potential ethical pitfalls, such as the risk of creating a society divided by access to enhancement technologies, the possibility of coercion or loss of autonomy through neural manipulation, and the broader implications of using neurotechnology to shape human behaviour and performance. Warhammer 40K thus serves as a speculative framework for examining the consequences of unchecked human enhancement—especially in the neural domain—offering cautionary insights for contemporary debates about the future of brain and body augmentation.
Author bios
Maximilian A. Friehs is an assistant professor in the Psychology of Conflict, Risk and Safety section (University of Twente, Netherlands). Before he worked in Canada, Ireland and Germany. He wants to understand human behaviours and experiences to be able to enhance it in performance-critical situations and create safer environments.
Dr Martin Dechant is a Lecturer in Digital Mental Health at UCL. He investigates how human-computer interaction, technology, and design affect our mental health. He is particularly interested in the use of digital games and technologies to develop new ways to prevent and assess mental health needs.
