A pill to induce moral behaviour might sound like a far-fetched idea, but ongoing discussions in the academic literature seem to give some legitimacy to the possibility. Similar to the idea of the SOMA pill in 'A brave new world', the hope is for a chemical for "moral bio-enhancement"; we can all be happy …

You don't have to search long to read articles in the press, take a look:

• ‘Morality pills’ may be the US’s best shot at ending the coronavirus pandemic, according to one ethicist (The Conversation, 2020)

• Could A ‘Morality Pill’ Help Stop The Covid-19 Pandemic? (Forbes, 2020)

• Morality pills: reality or science fiction? (The Guardian, 2014)

And, a bit further back, Peter Singer:

• Are We Ready for a ‘Morality Pill’? (New York Times, 2012)

The 'academy' continues to debate the issue. Persson and Savulescu¹ argue we have a duty to develop 'safe and cost-effective means' for 'moral enhancement'. What they mean by 'means', is a 'pharmaceutical, neurological or genetic means of strengthening the central moral drives of altruism and a sense of justice'.

The arguments are nuanced, but are based on the idea that our evolved sense of morality is not sufficient for a technologically advanced global society. There are further debates about wether such a 'pill' should be mandatory², and / or covertly administered^{3 4} (because obviously, those morally challenged would be unlikely to want to take such a pill).

The idea of human-enhancement in various ways is gaining acceptance as a narrative that propels us into a future advanced civilisation. But as other authors point out, the bio-technology does not currently exist. Is all this discussion just the talk of academics?

Time will tell, but the seeds are planted. The ground work has been laid. It's just a pill to benefit us all, why not? How about it? Those 'conspisory theorists' and their unfounded concerns! I can see the division all ready.

Is morality simply a biological reality? Can humanity's global(cosmic?) imagined future be perfected by technology? This materialistic world-view only has one end–total control. One humanity, working together, advancing … (to where?).