Problem
Suppose that in the distant future, researchers have developed various drugs to influence each of the major dimensions of personality. For example, a person could take one drug to increase his or her level of a given personality dimension, or another drug to reduce his or her level of that dimension. Different drugs would affect different dimensions, so people could "design" their own personalities by taking various combinations of drugs that affect the different dimensions. In this written assignment you will answer your questions about this scenario; each of the questions is listed below.
In answering these questions, please assume that there are no side effects of the personality altering drugs. (Even though this assumption is probably unrealistic, we'll put it aside, because the point of this assignment is to focus your answers on issues related to personality.) Also assume that the effects of the drugs are fairly long-lasting, such that a person who takes the drugs will have a different personality for at least several years.
Task
• To the extent that people would choose to take these drugs, what changes do you think would be the most popular ones? (Answer with reference to the HEXACO personality factors: For example, you might decide that the most popular change would be to make oneself lower in one HEXACO factor or higher in some other HEXACO factor.) List three changes that you think would be most widely chosen (specifying in each case the dimension and the direction). In each case explain why you think these changes would be widely chosen, and comment on whether (and why) you think the effects on society as a whole would be positive, negative, or neutral.
• Suppose that some people would prefer not to take these designer personality drugs. Given the popular changes that you have predicted above, how much would those people feel pressured to take the drugs, out of concern that their personality will no longer be "good enough" in comparison with the personalities of people who did take the drugs? (Think about the analogy of performance-enhancing drugs in sports.) If many people did feel considerable pressure, do you think that this situation would warrant some efforts to regulate or even ban the drugs, or not? Explain.
• In your opinion, are there any personality dimensions for which some people might be legally required to take the relevant drug, in order to prevent harmful effects of their personality on other people or even on himself/herself? Give two of the most plausible cases that come to mind, specifying the dimension (and the direction) involved as well as the persons who might be the target of such a law (e.g., "persons very [high / low] in the __________ factor"). Also, explain your opinion as to whether such a requirement would be ethical or unethical.
• If you took these designer personality drugs, would you still be "you"? That is, would you be a fundamentally different person, or would you simply be a better (or worse, or just "alternative") version of yourself? Consider this on a dimension-by-dimension basis, in case your answer would depend on which personality dimension was being considered.