Framework for neuroethics proposed
"Would You Mind?" a Tech Central Station column by Foresight Institute Director Glenn Harlan Reynolds, proposes a framework for thinking about issues related to developing capabilities to manipulate brains — something sure to come with advanced nanotechnology. He distinguishes three different technologies and their problems: mind-reading, mind-control, and mind-copying/mind-editing. "Each of these categories raises questions of its own, and we're likely to run into these problems more or less in this order, with problems of 'mind reading' arising before problems of mind control or mind copying. It's important that we think about them now — while we're still sure that the thoughts we're thinking are our own."
June 8th, 2004 at 6:48 PM
Hmmmmmmm
Is it not possible that technological 'mind-control', as stated in the summary, could happen before the other two?
All I have to do is look at some of the advertisements on television today, etc, and I wonder if it's not already somewhat possible.
Just a thought,
tlf
P.S. When submitting this comment I was told I had too many capital letters, even though the only ones in the entire message were at the beginning of a sentence… Uhm?
June 8th, 2004 at 6:53 PM
deep thoughts?
This is a bit of a stretch for this site, but what the hell. There's not a lot of deep thought in this article. When scanning technology is so good that we can pop on a headset and see every neuron, every connection and the strength of that connection and we have some idea how to interpret it, the world will be a very interesting place. With the ability to manipulate what I find, I personally look forward to being able to find annoying parts of my memory that I have "lost" and even delete (or disconnect) parts of my memory that I no longer want. I could set up a treatment program that re-enforces parts of my brain that I want to keep, even though I'm not using it. e.g., forgetting passwords that I only use once in a blue moon, or all that stuff I learnt in university!
June 8th, 2004 at 10:44 PM
My thoughts
I enjoyed this article somewhat; but i feel that he really just skimmed over the issues, without really putting much thought into things.
For example, with the matter of copying and uploading – what are the rights of the uploaded? as this is the fate i personally wish to have, i must say that i'm really rather hoping that i'd have full rights as a human being!
As well he didn't touch on the history of mind alteration. You have the gamit here, from trepanning, to lobodomies, to electro-shock, to the massive amounts of prescription anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medications prescribed today. It would have been interesting to see a comparason of this and how it turned out and how it was viewed at the time vs. how we look at it now.
As well he could have spent more time on lie detecting; what effect has the lie detector had on the justice system? what effect was it supposed to have when it was released?
it's an interesting article perhaps for someone who's not rally interested in the area, but that is all, i would think.
June 8th, 2004 at 10:50 PM
Re:Hmmmmmmm
It is already possible – through several means – to exert "mind control" of a sort. As a simple example, keeping someone dosed up on tranquilizers makes them very docile and easy to manipulate; feeding someone meth and pcp tends to make them violent.
And of course you have the big boys like lobodomy and electroshock; electroshock in particular can be used to modify certain parts of the brain at will.
These are just methods of changing the brain or it's chemistry, though. If you want something less visceral, you can go for all sorts of mind control techniques. A warm room after vigorous activity (causing sleepiness) can be used to make people more suggestable as an example. Sleep and food deprivation have much the same effect. Various forms of torture both "acceptable" and not also can make people prone to suggestion – stockholm syndrome, anyone?
June 15th, 2004 at 12:30 PM
Re:My thoughts
Well, yes, it was rather superficial. It's supposed to be a 600 word column, and there's only so much you can do!