What if a pill could make you smart, wealthy, and powerful? Would you take it? That's the question the movie Limitless asks. The movie revolves around Eddie, an aspiring author with a serious case of writer's block. A friend persuades him to take a questionable drug called NZT. This seemingly innocuous pill allows Eddie to access 100% of his brain's powers, instead of the normal 20%. On NZT, Eddie recalls every detail from his past, learns languages in just one day, and develops complex algorithms to conquer Wall Street.
While a drug like NZT is from the world of fantasy, the concept is not. Millions of dollars have gone into research to improve our memories and enhance our ability to learn. Some drugs, such as Ritalin® and Adderall®, are sought by people who don't have a medical need but want a brain boost. Books have been published about the use of these drugs so that we can be "better than well."[1]
Most cognitive enhancing drugs are used to treat a diagnosed condition. We can applaud their use to improve memory in Alzheimer's patients or to increase alertness in narcoleptics. But what about a healthy person? Should we be concerned about the desire, in Eddie's words, to be "the perfect version" of ourself?
Some scholars argue that cognitive enhancement "will be increasingly useful for improved quality of life and extended work productivity" and will "benefit both the individual and society."[2] It certainly changed Eddie's life. He finishes his book in four days, makes millions on Wall Street and gets his girlfriend back.
But enhancing the healthy may come with a cost. Employees could be pressured to take drugs, such as doctors who take Ritalin® to keep sharp, or air-traffic controllers who stay awake at night by taking Provigil®, an alertness drug.
Approximately 7% of college students already use prescription stimulants without a medical need to gain an academic advantage. There are at least two problems with this: 1) It destroys the level playing field of hard work. 2) It minimizes true academic achievement. We don't like doping in sports; why would we encourage it in academic competition?
Let's not forget the risks. In the movie Limitless, Eddie becomes addicted. He starts losing memories, and has heart palpitations. Legal cognitive-enhancing drugs may cause headaches, tremors, hallucinations, and behavioral issues.
But side effects aren't the biggest concern. Drugs may impact our character and values. In the film, Eddie becomes more selfish, not more wise or generous. Healthy people who take these drugs can be altered, yet unable to perceive the subtle changes that compromise who they really are.[3] These issues get complicated, but we cannot lose our theological nerve. Ultimately, when we use medications in order to be "better than well," our actions are an expression of dissatisfaction with who we are and how God made us.
Do you want to be "limitless"? It's not worth it.
[1] Carl Elliott, Better than Well: American Medicine Meets the American Dream (Norton, 2003).
[2] Henry Greely, et al., "Towards Responsible Use of Cognitive-Enhancing Drugs by the Healthy," Nature 465 (2008): 705.
[3] Frank Pasquale, "Technology, Competition, and Values," Minnesota Journal of Law, Science and Technology 8 (Spring 2007): 6