ACLE Seminar with Giovanni Immordino (University of Naples Federico II)
From Chance to Choice: The Demand for Human Enhancement
- Date
- 28 May 2024
- Time
- 13:00 -14:15
- Location
- Roeterseilandcampus - building A
- Room
- A3.15 and online (see below)
Abstract
This paper presents the first analysis of the potential impact of morally compelling Human Enhancement Technologies (HET) on parental investment in children's human capital, on aggregate demand for HET, on social mobility, and on future generations' choices. We establish a framework that encompasses HET, moral considerations, and a labor market where skills are acquired thanks to parental choices, either through traditional methods or HET, with salaries adapting to the distribution of skilled and unskilled workers in the population. Our findings reveal that in low-inequality societies, HET enhance social mobility, although this effect can be constrained by significant moral costs. Conversely, in high-unequality societies, HET reduce social mobility, and substantial moral costs can mitigate this effect. Additionally, we demonstrate that if moral costs remain consistent across generations, only HET with positive social impacts are generally adopted. However, a decrease in moral costs as HET become more widespread may lead to the adoption of HET with negative social effects.
Practicalities
This event will be a hybrid event. The seminar will take place in Roeterseiland campus (REC) building A, room number A3.15, and will also be streamed online via Zoom.
About the speaker
Giovanni Immordino is Professor of Political Economy at the University of Naples Federico II and Associate Editor of the International Review of Law and Economics. He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Toulouse. His research interests lie in the fields of microeconomics, public economics, and law and economics.
About ACLE
The Amsterdam Center for Law and Economics (ACLE) is a joint initiative of the Faculty of Economics and Business and the Faculty of Law at the University of Amsterdam. The objective of the ACLE is to promote high-quality interdisciplinary research at the intersection between law and economics.