What’s Missing from the Current Smart Drugs Debate

Excerpt

“In a modern world where everybody wants an edge, how far are you willing to go?” This is the question posed by an ABC news segment on the drug Provigil. The segment begins with an extended clip from the movie Limitless, likening the fictitious miracle drug in this movie to the real life drug Provigil. Though it is meant to treat narcolepsy or shift work disorder, many people who don’t have these conditions use Provigil as a stimulant: it has become one of the newest “smart drugs.” Smart drugs, prescription drugs abused for cognitive enhancement, do not actually make you smarter- and certainly no drug can mimic the effects of the Limitless pill. But these drugs do enhance qualities that we associate with being smart: they can increase motivation, focus, and productivity. As the news segment continues, Provigil begins to sound more and more enticing. Why wouldn’t we jump at the opportunity for instant improvement? Yet I am not at all on board with this line of thought. …