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The recent developments in brain surgery together with the new understanding of neural functions has allowed specialists to help people with epilepsy or Parkinson syndrome. They can get electrodes implanted into the brain and suddenly the uncontrollable shaking stops. This is a positive development in my opinion as such people can get their quality of life improved. But like with every new technology this one has also a backside of the medal. Bugs can be remotely controlled by such implants. And this is only the beginning. Recent research also hinted at the possibility to control ones behaviour, even ones desires and urges.
So what if people could be 'cured' of their desires to steal, to smoke, or people 'cured' cured of loving people of the same sex, or even people wanting to live to be the other sex?
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Garden News
Today I want to post the first news about Hypatia's Garden.
Do we need a cure for our behaviour or desires?
The recent developments in brain surgery together with the new understanding of neural functions has allowed specialists to help people with epilepsy or Parkinson syndrome. They can get electrodes implanted into the brain and suddenly the uncontrollable shaking stops. This is a positive development in my opinion as such people can get their quality of life improved. But like with every new technology this one has also a backside of the medal. Bugs can be remotely controlled by such implants. And this is only the beginning. Recent research also hinted at the possibility to control ones behaviour, even ones desires and urges.
So what if people could be 'cured' of their desires to steal, to smoke, or people 'cured' cured of loving people of the same sex, or even people wanting to live to be the other sex?
Where should we draw the line?
Personally I wouldn't want to be influenced in such a way. Would it be wise to develop such technologies and let everyone decided it's use on oneself?
There are certain groups out there, who happily would use such technology to make people think and behave after their own agenda, to force them to conformity, if not uniformity. Is the risk of having such technologies for them to abuse its power worth the desirable effects?
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Saphira
Comments
Folks don't NEED the technology...
They have already existing tools and techniques that can achieve the results you describe. And, they have been used. I don't know whether to use the term "successfully" or not, because it depends on the beholder here. The same techniques work whether it's voluntary or not. This is yet one more tool, and like any tool, it is neither good nor bad. The good and bad comes from how it is used, not the tool itself.
Annette
A Question of Idenity Death
With this or other technology to "control" behavior there comes a time when the individual stops being the individual he or she was. We then enter the relm of Hell on Earth. I partially argued against that in my essay, "Based on a Conversation."
There is also another problem. We all have an evil inclination and a good inclination. Combined we can create something that is better than either one could do alone.
This very issue...
After the "alteration" would you still be "you" or someone else...
My spouse said she'd not want me getting "fixed" in this way, as then she believe that whatever it was that made me, me, wouldn't be there any more and I'd no longer be the person she loved. You can guess how good THAT felt...
Twilight Zone
Does anybody remember the Twilight Zone episode (can't remember the name) about a time in the future where everybody is beautiful, by law? When a child reached a certain age he or she would be altered to one of the approved physical appearances. Only this one girl doesn't want to. Of course in the end she is forced to anyway, and comes out all happy and excited over being beautiful now.
Well, this sounds like the mental equivelent. Select your preferred mental state and step into the machine. Don't worry, when we finish you'll be happy you did.
I believe the title of the
I believe the title of the film I'm thinking about is
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
And my point is... this new tech will make it easier for the nurse Ratsh!ts to control the world.
And that's just too scary for words...
Some days you're the pigeon, some days you're the statue