NEUROTECHNOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY OF NEUROSCIENCE: ETHICAL AND ONTOLOGICAL CHALLENGES IN THE ERA OF BRAIN-COMPUTER INTERFACES

Abstract

This article aims to analyze recent advances in neurotechnology and discuss their impact on the philosophy of neuroscience, with special attention to the ethical and ontological challenges they pose. The study adopts a qualitative, theoretical-analytical approach, based on a narrative review of international scientific literature published between 2020 and 2025, including indexed sources such as the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Nature, Neuroethics, and Oxford Handbooks, as well as classic works in philosophy. The analysis maps current and emerging neurotechnologies such as brain-computer interfaces, neuroprostheses, and memory modulation techniques and examines their ethical implications, including issues of mental privacy, identity, and human enhancement. The results highlight that neurotechnologies not only expand scientific understanding of the brain but also challenge traditional philosophical conceptions of personhood, freedom, and moral responsibility. The study concludes by emphasizing the urgent need for robust regulatory frameworks and ethical guidelines to ensure that technological development promotes human dignity, cognitive liberty, and social justice, rather than reinforcing inequalities or compromising autonomy.