The Pharmacologically Improved Human

For some time now there has been a vigorous debate about whether the improvement of human performance by pharmacological means - usually referred to as enhancement - is a desirable goal of the modern life sciences. At the same time, there is evidence of changes in the use of lifestyle drugs and a growing demand for wish-fulfilling medicine. This book gives the most detailed account to date of the current possibilities for influencing mental performance by pharmacological means and examines the drug, food, and health regulations pertaining to such substances. Based on a systematic analysis of findings from the social sciences on the doping problem in competitive and recreational sport, the authors outline possible future trends of drug use in professional and everyday life. They do not view the pharmacologically enhanced human as an inevitable vision of the future. Instead, they discuss the potential impact of the growing medicalization of society on healthcare systems and on the ability of individuals to cope with problems in their professional and private lives.