Week 3 - Response to Content

Are neural implants the way of the future?

Science is forever evolving and whether we like it or not, innovations such as neural implants will eventually be part of our lives. The thought of being able to move a computer cursor with ones mind is an extraordinary one. It brings to mind the question of what we will become in the future when technology becomes so widespread and extreme. Will we still be human? As Sue Halpern stated in her article 'Mind Control and the Internet', these neural implants promise 'overcoming problems related to both normal memory loss that comes from aging and pathological memory loss associated with diseases like Alzheimer’s.' (Halpern, S. 2011). If this technology is being used to help people regain normality in their lives such as helping the deaf to hear and to give people their memory back as Sue Halpern said, then this is a very positive discovery. However, where do we draw the line? Will this end up becoming used for mind control or other similar circumstances. In a class discussion it was brought up that what if when this evolves into something larger, the government could put microchips into certain points down the street, that when you pass them it changes your mood or opinion on different things. Will we lose our individualism and our right to choose what we do or what our individual opinions are? On the other hand, wouldn't we all like to be able to learn Spanish instantly or learn new skills as simply as inserting a chip into a computer? It really is a personal opinion and too early to tell.

Halpern, S. (2011) "Mind Control and the Internet", New York review of books (Viewed 13Th August 2011)
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