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James Giordano

History

In August 2017, Giordano delivered a presentation at TRADOC Mad Scientist 2017 titled “Neurotechnology in National Defense.”1)

Georgetown Bio

James Giordano, PhD, MPhil, is Professor in the Departments of Neurology and Biochemistry, Chief of the Neuroethics Studies Program, leads the Sub-program in Military Medical Ethics of the Pellegrino Center for Clinical Bioethics; is Special Advisor to the Brain Bank, and is Co-director of the ONeill-Pellegrino Program in Brain Science and Global Health Law and Policy at Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.

Dr. Giordano is currently Fellow of the Project on Biosecurity, Technology, and Ethics at the US Naval War College, Newport, RI; chairs the Neuroethics Program of the IEEE Brain Initiative; is Senior Science Advisory Fellow of the Strategic Multilayer Assessment Branch of the Joint Staff of the Pentagon, serves as an appointed member of the Neuroethics, Legal and Social Issues (NELSI) Advisory Panel of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency ( DARPA), and is consulting bioethicist to the Department of Defense Medical Ethics Center (DMEC). He previously served an appointed member of United States Department of Health and Human Services Secretary’s Advisory Council on Human Research Protections ( SACHRP), and as Task Leader of the Project on Dual-Use Neurotechnologies of the European Union Human Brain Project

The author of over 300 publications, 7 books, and 20 government whitepapers on neurotechnology, biosecurity, and ethics, he is Editor-in-Chief of the international journal Philosophy, Ethics and Humanities in Medicine; and Associate Editor of the  Cambridge Quarterly of Health Care Ethics. His ongoing research addresses the neurobiological bases of neuropsychiatric spectrum disorders; and neuroethical issues arising in and from the development, use and misuse of neuroscientific techniques and neurotechnologies in medicine, public life, global health, and military applications.

In recognition of his work, he was elected to membership in the European Academy of Science and Arts, and named as an Overseas Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine (UK).2)

West Point Modern War Institute

Dr. James Giordano The Brain Is The Battlefield Of The Future - 25 Septembre 2018

Dr. James Giordano, Chief of the Neuroethics Studies Program and Scholar-in-Residence in the Pellegrino Center for Clinical Bioethics at Georgetown University, speaks to cadets and faculty about how advancements in neuroscience and neurotechnology will impact the future of war. This event was hosted by the Modern War Institute at West Point.3) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N02SK9yd60s&ab_channel=ModernWarInstitute

Defense Technical Information Center

DTIC ADA550507: National Neuroscience: Ethics, Legal and Social Issues Conference (3rd) (NELSI-3) Held in Fairfax, Virginia on February 25, 2011. Ethical Issues in the Use of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology in National Defense

by Defense Technical Information Center - Publication date 2011-09-15

In light of ongoing progress in both neuroscience and neurotechnology, it is critical to address, explicate and examine the ethical, legal and social issues that arise in, and from such research and applications if we are to assert and maintain 1) ongoing moral integrity both domestically and on the global stage, and 2) advance these fields in national security, defense and intelligence so as to ensure against their corruption and frank misuse - both domestically and by other nations and/or groups.

Toward these ends, the proposed conference (NELSI-3) will conjoin a group or recognized scholars to engage a discursive and dialectical approach to these issues as particularly suited to an invited audience of concerned and influential representatives from the governmental, S/T, research, development, testing and evaluation (RDTE), public and media communities.4)

Harvard Seminar

WATCH – “Does Brain-Based Lie Detection Belong in American Courtrooms?

As neuroimaging and other technologies advance, will traditionally-excluded tests of veracity (or lack thereof) find a place in American courtrooms? What is the state of our neuroscience and understanding of brain-based lie detection techniques?

Are these advances ready for “prime time,” or should we proceed with caution? What are the implications of existing research for the legal system and our moral assumptions about lying?

On Tuesday, April 14, leaders in neuroethics, forensic psychology, and neurolaw discussed the state of the science and the implications of neuroscientific advances for ethics and law. Can neuroscientific methods accurately distinguish truth-telling from ling? Are there limitations in our science? If so, can these limitations be addressed sufficiently to meet rules of evidence? If not, will these tests have any role in the courtroom? What are the legal and ethical implications of including or excluding neuroscientific evidence of lying?

This seminar took place from 4:30-6:00pm on Tuesday, April 14 at Harvard Medical School.

Panelists:

James Giordano, PhD is Chief of the Neuroethics Studies Program at the Pellegrino Center for Clinical Bioethics and is Co-direector of the O’Neill-Pellegrino Program in Brain Science and Global Health Law and policy. He is also a professor in the Department of Neurology at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, DC.

  Ekaterina (Kate) Pivovarova, PhD is a Researcher and Assistant Professor in the Law and Psychiatry Division at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Department of Psychiatry. She is also a licensed Clinical Psychologist in private practice. Dr. Pivovarova was the 2013-2014 CLBB Forensic Psychology Research Fellow.

Francis X. Shen, PhD, JD is a McKnight Landgrant Professor and Associate Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota, where he directs the Shen Neurolaw Lab. He also serves as Executive Director of Education and Outreach for the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Law and Neuroscience, and is currently a visiting scholar at the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School.

  This event, hosted by the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics, was co-sponsored by CLBB, The Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics, HLS; Institute for the Neurosciences, BWH; the Mind Brain Behavior Interfaculty Initiative, Harvard University; Center for Brain Science, Harvard University; and the Department of Neurobiology, HMS. Funding is provided by the Mind Brain Behavior Interfaculty Initiative, Harvard University and The Harvard Brain Initiative Collaborative Seed Grant Program

Watch video of the entire “Brain-Based Lie Detection” event below, or explore past events on pain, memory, free will, and criminal responsibility, on CLBB’s Vimeo channel.5)

Targeted Justice Criticism

From the Lecture by Dr. James Giordano:

Giordano basically is saying that torture of civilians is permissible and that neurotech may “uphold a higher moral standard” than other forms of torture. In my opinion, Giordano is a true psychopath. He cares nothing about the Constitution or your rights. He apparently does not know what Treason is, or that it can carry the death penalty.

“We are trying to balance the relative goods of scientific advancement with the relative burdens, risks, and harms and potential areas of dual-use that could be employed and how those affect National Security and Defense.”

“Some think that the last sanctified space is that of… consciousness. And you are using this stuff to invade that? You’re right. There is an ethical argument there. Is this more or less harmful than other means of information extraction?”

“We need to debate this. This forces us to set parameters and limits. We ask: Can we use this? The answer is yes. Also, we ask: should we use this? If the answer appears to be yes, then the far more important question is really how, when and under what circumstances?

“Is it possible to use these techniques for information acquisition? The short answer is yes. The long answer is how, when, why…. There’s not necessarily a definitive answer.”

Watch the video and decide for yourself.6)

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