Leave my head alone

[JOEYSHABADO]

I saw a strange thing on tv the other night, where a scientist (he had a beard and glasses, so I assume so) pointed out that in the future much of our 'mental life' will be selectable through direct neuro programming: so you come home in a bad mood, and just plug your head into a computer and download some good moods, and reset your consciousness. I found it surprising that I'd never imagined this, but I can't think of any real barriers to it, even in our lifetime. Answerbank will die, since I will just plug my head into a central information database, which will work out what I don't know, and upload it.

Will this be a better world? Technology seems to progress regardless of the answer to that question.

[Thunderchild]

the idea is great but like all technological advances it has downsides. think of what a hacker can do directly to you if he got control of your brain. i mean your heart could be instructed to stop beating ! of course acurate planning and testing should prevent a situation like this (yes i did go a bit to extreme there please don't run away in fright) but this is a technology not to underlook. think of the way people today r already "brainwashed" by verbal "transmissions" and especially the Tv what can happen if we plug our brain straight into a data resource it could become a goverment monopoly. these technologies need to be used coscienciesly because improper use can be very dangerous.

[stevie21]

I think this is amazingly far fetched and nothing that even comes close to this in terms of technological sophistication will ever be achieved in our lifetimes (if ever).

The brain is the single most complex entity in the known universe and we don't understand how it works well enough for anything like this to be realistic. For example, no-one knows in which part of the brain moods or memories are stored so how can we download and store memories from a database?
Sorry to burst your bubble

[JOEYSHABADO]

I just found something on Ebay that says it does just this, so I'll try it out and let you know.

[jake-the-peg]

We have this "Machine" already we call them drugs - few teething troubles though.

As far as plugging your head in there is a bit of a fundamental problem. As you go through your lifeyour brain develops concepts and stores them in groups of brain cells and makes associations between them and other things. Consequently the particular neurons that hold the concept of say "Water" will be different in your head than they will in mine.

If you want to "plug your head in" you fill first have to teach the machine the "language" your brain uses - that would be quite tiresome! it also is a good reason not to believe in telepathy.

[Bob A Job]

We already have a machine that can change moods.

 

Its called a CD player, i defy anyone to listen to Bohemian Rhapsody all the way through and not have their mood changed.

[Dacetine]

Yes Bob-a-Job... but for better or worse?