The Fight to Control Your Mind by Richard Glen Boire [Wired]
"Should the government have the right to alter the biochemistry of your brain? Richard Glen Boire, codirector and legal counsel of the Center for Cognitive Liberty and Ethics, says no, and he's making his case before the Supreme Court. In Sell v. US, the government argues that it can drug Charles Sell, a dentist from Missouri, in order to make him competent to stand trial. Boire, whose amicus brief argues that Sell has a right to integrity of mind, explains why cognitive liberty goes way beyond this one case." More at http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.04/view.html?pg=3
I think the case referred to in this judgement could be an extremely important one. It broaches topics I have long wanted to see properly debated - the issue of biochemical/neurobiological advances and the challenges these present to forensic psychiatry; the dangers of coercive persuasion and the uses/abuses of new (non-X-file) mind control techniques.
Re:virus: Mind control - a short discussion
« Reply #1 on: 2003-04-03 10:00:41 »
Thanks for the link to the wired magazine article Jonathan, I eagerly await the discussion that may emerge as a result.
With regards to the 2 articles from the Economist – last year I posted those links to the list, with a response that I have included below. Hope you enjoy.
the bricoleur.
---------------------------------
This email is from personal communication - I have included it here for the pleasure of all Virians.
To *
The latest Economist carries a real scare article warning people about the dangers of neuroscience. Forget about genetics and cloning, it says, the real threat to human nature comes from neuroscience which will once and for all dispel our myths of the soul, will release criminals from the notion of free will by showing biological forces beyond their control, and will increase the degrees of freedom of consumers enabling them to enhance their brains using chemistry and technology, creating a new technologically enhanced class of human beings who will oppress everyone else. It was disturbing for me to read how one of the world’s leading informers of business opinion, framed “understanding the brain” and “choosing to make changes to the brain” so negatively. They of course do not appreciate that we have been tinkering with our brains for millennia. The rationalism of the 17th century has wiped out our society’s memories of the socially endorsed use of hallucinogens to deliberately alter our states of consciousness. But post-17th century attempts to frame the use of mind altering substances as criminal, ill and mentally dysfunctional are beginning to erode. The tides are turning. Europe is decriminalizing substances in spite of American objections, and is already seeing the social and health benefits. America’s own Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is acting contrary to their Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and is challenging what is increasingly being understood as the DEA’s propaganda in the disguise of science. The FDA has given the go ahead for a study into the possible uses of Ecstasy in treating post traumatic stress disorders. Popular legal mood-altering and performance-enhancing drugs like Prozac, Ritalin, Viagra, “smart drugs” and all their cousins have changed the way ordinary people view their own conscious states. You can now make real consumer choices with regards to how you feel. You can also attend expensive courses on creative thinking and how to animate yourself in a meaningless universe through things like Neuro Linguistic Planning - which incidentally was inspired by computer technology metaphors. Preparing us for the dawn of the cyborg? It is unlikely that brain augmentation will be censored when the pharmaceutical industry has so much to gain, and consumers can claim what is increasingly being seen as their democratic right to feel good and choose the treatment of their choice. It is interesting that the Economist article framed intelligence enhancing technologies as “cosmetic surgery” and implied that feeling even better is not the same as recovering from an illness. Only in western orthodox medicine is the work of doctors seen as treating illness. This is another product of western reductionism, which began in the 17th century. In most other cultural traditions the work of a “physician” is maintaining and improving wellness. Illness is seen as the physician’s failure, not an opportunity to extort patients. The New Age has popularized many non-western techniques for engineering brain states. The growing interest in Shamanism and the use of hallucinogens has grown so rapidly over the last few years that it has spawned a lucrative shamanic tourist industry in South America. Many South American countries are now rediscovering and legalizing their ancient heritage of hallucinogenic plant brews. Western science’s own chemistry and microbiology has spawned the science of Psychoneuroimmunology, which maps the ways in which the mind can be manipulated to trick the body into health. “Psychosomatic” is used less and less as a derogatory term and is being studied as a valid and powerful phenomenon in the healing process. On the basis of all this evidence I would like to think that brain implants and more sophisticated brain enhancing chemistry will happen in spite of the fears of conservatives. I would like to think that we are on a runaway system of evolving our bodies epigenetically. I think their fears of a technologically enhanced class of human beings who will oppress everyone else is a little hypocritical since their audience is a small percentage of the planet who is already oppressing everyone else. I think they fear something else - the true empowerment of the individual. Consumerism has unleashed a demon and that demon is: the right to shop. There is no stopping us now. Or is there? The one thing we can be sure of is that if there is a new technology for enhancing the brain it is unlikely that most people will use it to become more intelligent. People are more likely to use it to improve their sex lives and add novelty to escapist entertainment. I think the number of people capable of initiating political revolution will always be the same regardless of the tech. 80% of the information that flows through Internet connections is porn, 10% is gossip, less than 10% is advertising and the small percentage that is left over is research and other information. Can we assume that these ratios represent the interests of consumers no matter what the tech. In my experience of psychedelics this is definitely true. I know very few people who actually generate useful information while tripping. The article did scare me though.
RE: virus: Mind control - a short discussion
« Reply #2 on: 2003-04-03 11:49:35 »
Dear Bricoleur,
I remember your post now! I am sorry I did not check this list first before posting. Sorry if I have posted about a topic already covered.
That response is superb. May I quote from it elsewhere?
I was attracted to this whole issue when I read something hilarious about the power of olfactory weapons.
Apparently, the US military have made a new generation of non-lethal weapons which include a crowd control weapon that uses a stench of such putrid power that living creatures flee from it without being able to help themselves.
This of course is because of how our brain is wired. The olfactory nerve does not go through the cerebral cortex but goes straight from the nose to the "old brain", which reacts at an autonomic level.
In short the stink hits the brain where it can do nothing about it except marvel as legs pump pump as they bear the victim away from the stench.
This was just one application of recent advances in this field, and a clever one at that.
Thanks for the link to the wired magazine article Jonathan, I eagerly await the discussion that may emerge as a result.
With regards to the 2 articles from the Economist - last year I posted those links to the list, with a response that I have included below. Hope you enjoy.
the bricoleur.
---------------------------------
This email is from personal communication - I have included it here for the pleasure of all Virians.
To *
The latest Economist carries a real scare article warning people about the dangers of neuroscience. Forget about genetics and cloning, it says, the real threat to human nature comes from neuroscience which will once and for all dispel our myths of the soul, will release criminals from the notion of free will by showing biological forces beyond their control, and will increase the degrees of freedom of consumers enabling them to enhance their brains using chemistry and technology, creating a new technologically enhanced class of human beings who will oppress everyone else. It was disturbing for me to read how one of the world's leading informers of business opinion, framed "understanding the brain" and "choosing to make changes to the brain" so negatively. They of course do not appreciate that we have been tinkering with our brains for millennia. The rationalism of the 17th century has wiped out our society's memories of the socially endorsed use of hallucinogens to deliberat! ely alter our states of consciousness. But post-17th century attempts to frame the use of mind altering substances as criminal, ill and mentally dysfunctional are beginning to erode. The tides are turning. Europe is decriminalizing substances in spite of American objections, and is already seeing the social and health benefits. America's own Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is acting contrary to their Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and is challenging what is increasingly being understood as the DEA's propaganda in the disguise of science. The FDA has given the go ahead for a study into the possible uses of Ecstasy in treating post traumatic stress disorders. Popular legal mood-altering and performance-enhancing drugs like Prozac, Ritalin, Viagra, "smart drugs" and all their cousins have changed the way ordinary people view their own conscious states. You can now make real consumer choices with regards to how you feel. You can also attend expensive courses on creative thinki! ng and how to animate yourself in a meaningless universe through things like Neuro Linguistic Planning - which incidentally was inspired by computer technology metaphors. Preparing us for the dawn of the cyborg? It is unlikely that brain augmentation will be censored when the pharmaceutical industry has so much to gain, and consumers can claim what is increasingly being seen as their democratic right to feel good and choose the treatment of their choice. It is interesting that the Economist article framed intelligence enhancing technologies as "cosmetic surgery" and implied that feeling even better is not the same as recovering from an illness. Only in western orthodox medicine is the work of doctors seen as treating illness. This is another product of western reductionism, which began in the 17th century. In most other cultural traditions the work of a "physician" is maintaining and improving wellness. Illness is seen as the physician's failure, not an opportunity to extort! patients. The New Age has popularized many non-western techniques for engineering brain states. The growing interest in Shamanism and the use of hallucinogens has grown so rapidly over the last few years that it has spawned a lucrative shamanic tourist industry in South America. Many South American countries are now rediscovering and legalizing their ancient heritage of hallucinogenic plant brews. Western science's own chemistry and microbiology has spawned the science of Psychoneuroimmunology, which maps the ways in which the mind can be manipulated to trick the body into health. "Psychosomatic" is used less and less as a derogatory term and is being studied as a valid and powerful phenomenon in the healing process. On the basis of all this evidence I would like to think that brain implants and more sophisticated brain enhancing chemistry will happen in spite of the fears of conservatives. I would like to think that we are on a runaway system of evolving our bodies epige! netically. I think their fears of a technologically enhanced class of human beings who will oppress everyone else is a little hypocritical since their audience is a small percentage of the planet who is already oppressing everyone else. I think they fear something else - the true empowerment of the individual. Consumerism has unleashed a demon and that demon is: the right to shop. There is no stopping us now. Or is there? The one thing we can be sure of is that if there is a new technology for enhancing the brain it is unlikely that most people will use it to become more intelligent. People are more likely to use it to improve their sex lives and add novelty to escapist entertainment. I think the number of people capable of initiating political revolution will always be the same regardless of the tech. 80% of the information that flows through Internet connections is porn, 10% is gossip, less than 10% is advertising and the small percentage that is left over is research and ! other information. Can we assume that these ratios represent the interests of consumers no matter what the tech. In my experience of psychedelics this is definitely true. I know very few people who actually generate useful information while tripping. The article did scare me though.
you have been FnoRded, may the farce be with you..
Re:virus: Mind control - a short discussion
« Reply #3 on: 2003-04-11 14:54:42 »
[bricoleur] > >Thanks for the link to the wired magazine article Jonathan, I eagerly await the discussion that may emerge as a result. > >With regards to the 2 articles from the Economist last year I posted those links to the list, with a response that I have included below. Hope you enjoy. > >the bricoleur. > >--------------------------------- > >This email is from personal communication - I have included it here for the >pleasure of all Virians. > >To * > >The latest Economist carries a real scare article warning people about the dangers of neuroscience. Forget about genetics and cloning, it says, the real threat to human nature comes from neuroscience which will once and for all dispel our myths of the soul, will release criminals from the notion of free will by showing biological forces beyond their control, and will increase the degrees of freedom of consumers enabling them to enhance their brains using chemistry and technology, creating a new technologically enhanced class of human beings who will oppress everyone else. It was disturbing for me to read how one of the worlds leading informers of business opinion, framed understanding the brain and choosing to make changes to the brain so negatively. They of course do not appreciate that we have been tinkering with our brains for millennia. The rationalism of the 17th century has wiped out our societys memories of the socially endorsed use of hallucinogens to deliberately alter our states of consciousness.
[bricoleur] But post-17th century attempts to frame the use of mind altering substances as criminal, ill and mentally dysfunctional are beginning to erode. The tides are turning. Europe is decriminalizing substances in spite of American objections, and is already seeing the social and health benefits. Americas own Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is acting contrary to their Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and is challenging what is increasingly being understood as the DEAs propaganda in the disguise of science.
[athenonrex] yep...we're seeing a revisiting of tribalism in general in the populace lately...or at least i have. people have been banding together in more and more closely knit groups, forming hierarchy. whether these groups be of the drug culture, political in nature, religeous, or otherwise, the groups' sense of community is getting stronger each day, as each new group is formed even.
[bricoleur] The FDA has given the go ahead for a study into the possible uses of Ecstasy in treating post traumatic stress disorders. Popular legal mood-altering and performance-enhancing drugs like Prozac, Ritalin, Viagra, smart drugs and all their cousins have changed the way ordinary people view their own conscious states. You can now make real consumer choices with regards to how you feel. You can also attend expensive courses on creative thinking and how to animate yourself in a meaningless universe through things like Neuro Linguistic Planning - which incidentally was inspired by computer technology metaphors.
[athenonrex] well, this wouldn't be the first time that illicit drugs have been used medically. heroin was used in the civil war as an anesthetic. silopsybin mushrooms (sp?)as well as LSD have been used in psychological medicine before. other "natural herbal alternatives" to illicit drugs have been used recreationally as well as medically (sometimes pseudomedically)as well: peyote (mescaline), madrake, kava kava, st. john's wort, valerian root, coca (cocaine, chocolate, coca-cola {original recipe}).
[bricoleur] Preparing us for the dawn of the cyborg? It is unlikely that brain augmentation will be censored when the pharmaceutical industry has so much to gain, and consumers can claim what is increasingly being seen as their democratic right to feel good and choose the treatment of their choice. It is interesting that the Economist article framed intelligence enhancing technologies as cosmetic surgery and implied that feeling even better is not the same as recovering from an illness. Only in western orthodox medicine is the work of doctors seen as treating illness. This is another product of western reductionism, which began in the 17th century. In most other cultural traditions the work of a physician is maintaining and improving wellness. Illness is seen as the physicians failure, not an opportunity to extort patients.
[athenonrex] yes, in the west we no longer treat the patient, we treat the illness. a rather odd practise in my opinion.
[bricoleur] The New Age has popularized many non-western techniques for engineering brain states. The growing interest in Shamanism and the use of hallucinogens has grown so rapidly over the last few years that it has spawned a lucrative shamanic tourist industry in South America. Many South American countries are now rediscovering and legalizing their ancient heritage of hallucinogenic plant brews.
[bricoleur] Western sciences own chemistry and microbiology has spawned the science of Psychoneuroimmunology, which maps the ways in which the mind can be manipulated to trick the body into health. Psychosomatic is used less and less as a derogatory term and is being studied as a valid and powerful phenomenon in the healing process. On the basis of all this evidence I would like to think that brain implants and more sophisticated brain enhancing chemistry will happen in spite of the fears of conservatives. I would like to think that we are on a runaway system of evolving our bodies epigenetically. I think their fears of a technologically enhanced class of human beings who will oppress everyone else is a little hypocritical since their audience is a small percentage of the planet who is already oppressing everyone else.
[athenonrex] i've always thought this: a great deal of people with some form of illness are merely psychosomatically ill, as is the general case with someone's mental disorder (actually, isn't that precisely what a mental disorder that's non-chemical is? a psychosomatic episode?). why should the "illness" not be the cure? psychosomatics (hypochondriacs) are generally rather sensitive to the proper kinds of suggestion. why not create a circumstance where they are sensitive to a curative suggestion?
[bricoleur] I think they fear something else - the true empowerment of the individual. Consumerism has unleashed a demon and that demon is: the right to shop. There is no stopping us now. Or is there? The one thing we can be sure of is that if there is a new technology for enhancing the brain it is unlikely that most people will use it to become more intelligent. People are more likely to use it to improve their sex lives and add novelty to escapist entertainment. I think the number of people capable of initiating political revolution will always be the same regardless of the tech. 80% of the information that flows through Internet connections is porn, 10% is gossip, less than 10% is advertising and the small percentage that is left over is research and ! >other information. Can we assume that these ratios represent the interests of consumers no matter what the tech. In my experience of psychedelics this is definitely true. I know very few people who actually generate useful information while tripping. The article did scare me though.
[athenonrex] yeah, you're unforunately probably right. people aren't interested in knowledge or general intelligence that much anymore. they just wat to keep mister winkie up a little longer, make him a bit longer and wider, feel a general state of pleasure, and buy things. (all of which subsequently fall into the escapist type useage.)
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