Ethics of Memory Editing: Curing PTSD or Erasing Identity?

Emerging Tech Debates

What happens when science gives us the power to rewrite our own memories?

In this episode of Emerging Tech Debates, we dive into one of neuroscience’s most controversial frontiers: memory editing. From beta-blockers like propranolol to cutting-edge tools like molecular memory modification and optogenetics, researchers are now exploring ways to dampen, erase, or even reshape traumatic memories—offering hope for those suffering from PTSD and other mental health disorders.

But these breakthroughs come with serious ethical questions:

• If memories shape who we are, does editing them change our identity?

• Could forgetting trauma make us less accountable—or less empathetic?

• Do we have a personal right to forget, even when society has a duty to remember?

We examine the deep philosophical and societal implications of therapeutic forgetting, the potential impact on justice and truth, and the blurred line between healing and erasure.

Tune in now for a thought-provoking discussion on the future of memory—and whether some things are better left untouched.