Michele Farisco

Michele Farisco
Postdoc Researcher
Associate Professor of Moral Philosophy
Michele Farisco, PhD, is part of CRB's neuroethics research team as a post-doc researcher working on Consciousness, Artificial Intelligence, and Neuroethics within the Human Brain Project. He was appointed Associate Professor of Moral Philosophy in Italy. He holds a MA in Philosophy from University of Naples "L'Orientale" in 2003, a PhD in "Ethics and Anthropology. History and Foundation" from University of Lecce in 2008, a Master degree in Biolaw from the University of Rome "Lumsa" in 2009, and a PhD in Neuroscience and Philosophy from Uppsala University in 2019. He spent time on an exchange grant from the European Neuroscience and Society Network within the European Science Foundation joining the Coma Science Group of the University of Liège (Belgium). He is the head of the "Science and society" research unit of Biogem Genetic Research Centre in Ariano Irpino (Italy). He is the author of four books and several articles about posthuman philosophy, philosophical, ethical and legal implications (ELSI) of genetics and neuroscience, consciousness (with a particular focus on disorders of consciousness), addiction, Artificial Intelligence, and neuroethics.
His current research focuses on consciousness, Artificial Intelligence, and reciprocal connection. Specifically, in collaboration with empirical scientists from inside and outside the HBP, his research aims at developing a philosophical and ethical framework for the experimental and computational explorations of cognition and consciousness. To illustrate, he is collaborating in the elaboration of concrete empirical, theoretical, and behavioural criteria for ascribing consciousness to people with disorders of consciousness, animals, and machines, and he is engaged in exploring the arising ethical issues.
E-mail: michele.farisco@crb.uu.se
Phone: +46 18 471 65 66
Recently in media
- The Struggle for Consciousness and the Dawn of a New Alliance Between Ethics and Science
The Neuroethics Blog, 2019-03-12 - Neuroscience of drug addiction highlights policy/ethical issues
Human Brain Project news, 2018-11-22 - On consciousness and the unconscious
BMC On Medicine, 2018-07-27 - Coma patients might feel pleasure and pain like the rest of us
ScienceNordic, 2018-05-24 - Føler komapatienter smerte og nydelse ligesom os andre?
ForskerZonen, 2018-05-22 - We need a more comprehensive ethics of disorders of consciousness
BioEdge, 2017-11-18 - Om högteknologiska implantat i hjärnan
Vetenskapsradions veckomagasin, 2017-04-21
Artificial intelligence
Conceptual analysis

We expand AI ethics beyond the applied to answer the basic questions posed by the technology.
The Human Brain Project

The Human Brain Project is one of the European Community flagship projects and involves over 100 groups. Kathinka Evers leads the philosophical research.
Neuroethics & Neurophilsophy

Any attempt at understanding how the mind and the brain work comes with a set of philosophical, ethical and social issues.
Fundamental Neuroethics

We aim to broaden the field and contribute to the ongoing discussion on the nature of neuroethics with our conceptual approach to fundamental neuroethics.
Consciousness
Conceptual analysis

We develop new theory of consciousness with notable implication for how the 'unconscious' is conceived.
Publications
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Of Ethical Frameworks and Neuroethics in Big Neuroscience Projects: A View from the HBP
Part of AJOB Neuroscience, p. 167-175, 2020.
DOI Uploaded full-text (pdf) Uploaded full-text (pdf) To DiVA
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Towards Establishing Criteria for the Ethical Analysisof Artificial Intelligence
Part of Science and Engineering Ethics, 2020.
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Farisco, Michele
Brain, consciousness and disorders of consciousness at the intersection of neuroscience and philosophy
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Indicators and Criteria of Consciousness in Animals and Intelligent Machines: An Inside-Out Approach
Part of Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, 2019.
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Neuroethics and Philosophy in Responsible Research and Innovation: The Case of the Human Brain Project
Part of Neuroethics, p. 201-211, 2019.
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The Human Brain Project: Responsible Brain Research for the Benefit of Society
Part of Neuron, p. 380-384, 2019.
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The Need for a Conceptual Expansion of Neuroethics
Part of AJOB Neuroscience, p. 126-128, 2019.
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Drug addiction: from neuroscience to ethics
Part of Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2018.
Neuroethics & Philosophy of the Brain
The CRB neuroethics research team is an international, multi-disciplinary group. Our backgrounds allow us to approach these issues from theoretical, philosophical, social, bio-political and clinical perspectives. We collaborate closely with neuroscientists to understand the ethical and philosophical questions that neuroscience brings. In this report, we provide a summary of our research. The report was updated in November 2016. We are planning an update in the autumn 2020.

Finding hidden awareness
Patients with disorders that affect their consciousness are often unable to communicate. Sometimes there is a hidden awareness somewhere in the patient’s brain, but how do we find it? Michele Farisco is Associate Professor of Moral Philosophy, doing his second PhD in Neuroethics.
