Put your thinking caps on.....

[Eskay]

This article (see below) in the New York Times raises some awesome possibilities. By summary a scientist has found that by introducing electrical impulses to certain areas of the brain that certain faculties can be enhanced. Imagine the ability to have almost savant cognitive powers without the disbenefits of its natural occurences.

So heres the discussion. Feasibility aside would you support the widespread adoption of this? Though it seems like an incredible benefit to humanity would it intrinsically alter our natures? Even if this could be turned off at the end of the day is it a violation of our minds. I don't simply mean this in a spiritual context of the body being 'sacred' but also in a more general way of does it alter us in some way. Is this to much tampering with our minds?

Edit:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9506EFD81538F931A15755C0A9659C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1
The link.

I realise on a second glance that its quite an old article. I'll have a look later when I'm not meant to be working to see if theres any follow up on this. I found the link when flicking through some stuff on engadget about neural actuators. Also worth a look for being incredibly super awesome.

 

[teisjm]

Where do i sign up? Even though i already consider myself intelegent, enhanced intelegence would still be better.
Also, Gief cyborg parts such as eyes with thermal vision

 

[Inverse Skies]

I'd rather see this sort of technology being used against medical conditions such as Touretts Syndrome or those who suffer incruable migraines. This just seems... like we're tampering too much. Kind of goes along the idea of eugenics, except more acheivable.

Aside: The link was broken for me.

 

[ChocoFace]

Only one way to find out. I'm all for it.
Besides, who cares about what else it can cause.

 

[Micah Weil]

I dunno...despite the obvious benefits, it'll lead to problems. Who would get the bionics (we'll just use that as a loose term for now) that do this? Would we restrict it to the elite? To those who truly need it (brain damaged, naturally retarded, what have you)? What impact would it have on society?

I mean, now you've got everyone walking around with enhanced smarts. Nobody's gonna wanna do any of the menial tasks that we normally relegate to the "lesser" of society. Who's gonna flip the burgers or take the abuse from customers at Wal-Mart?

It's truly a double edged sword.

 

[Eskay]

Aside: The link was broken for me.

I should know better that to try this fancy html hoity toity. I've editted the link into the bottom of the original post.

 

[fix-the-spade]

It's interesting, potentially amazing.


But I can already hear the Generals asking how it can be used to make their men easier to control.

 

[Sion_Barzahd]

These enhancements look really interesting. I'd love to go try it out

 

[Duh]

i think it should be ok to do that, i dont see how it can be considered more controversial than plastic surgery

the body and the mind are not separated so saying that you that you can add HUEG boobs to whoever feels like it but say you cant put eletrodes in my brain would be Hypocracy at its best

 

[GoblinOnFire]

Where do i sign up? Even though i already consider myself intelegent, enhanced intelegence would still be better.
Also, Gief cyborg parts such as eyes with thermal vision

I love the way you spell intelligent.

On topic: Hovering, flying even, would be my wish..

 

[teisjm]

Spelling and intelligence is not one and them same, and english isn't my first language

 

[MartnRendrs]

on the first thought: sounds like fun
on the second: should we really spent money on this and not on something like global warming

 

[experiment0789]

Sound good , but whats the catch?
Don't tell me there is no draw back or side affects (other then what you want to discuss).

 

[Melancholy_Ocelot]

Very interesting dilemma.

Would this surgery be covered by insurance for those with a lacking IQ? If so, where do you draw the line? If not, what is the cost?

Would it be made available to lower-class or third-world citizens? If it wasn't then it would greatly widen the social gap. Those who could afford the implant would be more marketable in their career field.

Or is this just a clever plot to install a mind control chip? Or would the government be listening in on our thoughts?

 

[bitzi61]

You know the "elite" of society would never allow this type of technology to fall into "lesser hands"...

I wish I could get this stuff though.. like enhanced memory, cause mine sucks..

 

[Silver]

Sweetness. With a few of those babies I could do a lot.

And eugenics and social differences be damned, I want one. With everyone equipped with one of those, I'd soon become the government (so they wouldn't listen to my thoughts), and I'd fix them up for all people in the country (removing the class difference). Should make progress a bit easier. We'll build some robots to flip burgers

 

[Flap Jack452]

This is paving the road to destruction by super villains.
Gotta go finish making my tinfoil hat for when the aliens come.

 

[Rhayn]

That's an intresting one. I'm sure it could lead to some intresting innovations. I think I read somewhere that we only use a fraction of our own brain, and this sounds like it could unlock a bigger portion of it.

Let's go sci-fi here for a second. This more than possibly lead to a whole new age for humanity. Problems creating an atmosphere at Mars? Just turn it on and it won't take too long to figure out how to make an artificial atmosphere. Troubles getting to Mars? Won't be with the new powered reactors.

Or if we're actually on Earth it will just lead to a whole new way for us to destroy eachother. Sometimes I do wish we wouldn't be such a destructive-natured species.

Edit; another thing just came to me: is it possible for a human to fully understand how our brain works? I mean, surely we can't reach the level where it is fully understood how the thing works. Seems to me we can only understand stuff that we can get our heads around, but how do you get your head around your own head?

 

[ae86gamer]

it seems like it would be super expensive and only rich people would be able to get it. Then all the middle class and poor people become second class citizens and then a war between the rich and everyone else soon ensues. BOOM!! MOVIE IDEA!!

 

[FLSH_BNG]

Sounds like fun! Where do I sign up? Maybe we'll finally be able go to Mars.. or hell, even back to the damn moon!