Would creating a pharmaceutical cure for guilty emotions be unethical?

Question

If a company could create and market a pill that would cure guilt, should they be allowed?

Answer 1

definately not... some ppl only do the right thing so they wont feel bad... if there is no guilt those ppl will do what ever they want

Answer 2

a pharma cure to pass a lie detector would not be unethical.

But no one will never not feel guilty.  God has to be guilty of athe least of sins.

Answer 3

Boy, the people who sell religion might take exception to such a cure...

Answer 4

Yes as long as you can only use it when in-laws are over, haha.  Seriously if such a pill existed it would be the end of civilization as we know it and complete chaos would pursue.

Answer 5

I think they already have. It is called " policy". It would be interesting to know which companies work for governments because they do not hold themselves guilty for bad policy reactions. Clever question.

Answer 6

Yes it would be unethical for the medical community to prescribe it.

There are two kinds of guild: earned (by doing something bad,) and unearned, (such as "Original Sin," which really does make some people feel guilty.)

But kinds are epistemic in nature. Controlling the brain chemistry that causes guilt does nothing to address the underlying THOUGHT PROCESS that create guilt. In the case of earned guilt, it our conscience talking, and it is our conscience that hopefully prevents us from making the same mistake twice. But if we lose our guilty feeling about it, what reason do we have not to do it again?

As for the unearned guilt, which comes in varieties such as a nagging mother in law who runs down your self-esteem, or a teacher who hates you, or a neighborhood that bullies you, then the "cure" is a change in thinking. That is what Epistemic Psychology is for.

Answer 7

Well we do have anti-anxiety medications that can temporarily relieve (not cure) feelings of guilt.

But once the effects wear off, you are then left with the original guilt plus the guilt from having taken the medication (and perhaps the guilt for having neglected your duties/children/wife while you were spaced out).  

Answer 8

Isn't that why most illegal phamaceuticals are consumed?

Answer 9

Any curable staff is supposed to be ethical. Well, to "cure" guilty-emotions, we've police & prisons now. If they are ethically okay, why shouldn't be a drug ethical? But the ingredients of that so-called "pill" should have to be ethical.  

Answer 10

Well, if they felt bad about it they could just pop a pill.