

Will designer brains divide humanity? - codeodor
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227083.700-will-designer-brains-divide-humanity.html?full=true&print=true

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aarongough
Wow. One of the links in the article lead to this:

[http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14000-robomonkeys-
use-...](http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14000-robomonkeys-use-brain-
power-to-grab-a-bite.html)

Researchers have several Macaque monkeys controlling robot arms via a direct
neural interface and using the arms to feed themselves...

The fluidity of the robot arm's movement are amazing, you can see the monkey
interacting with it as though it genuinely has come to associate the arm with
itself!

Watch closely and you'll see the arm move closer to the monkey at one point
because it has spotted a scrap of food stuck to it that it wants to eat.

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russell
The article looks at both viewpoints. Personally, I think we are aways down
the path of augmentation with cell phones and laptops. I dont see any great
divide coming. Just like everything else there will be early adopters and late
adopters. Eventually everyone will have the choice. Again, think cell phones.
It's not going to be a race war between humans and super humans.

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chris11
Exactly. And besides, I'm really not sure that I want to be an early adopter.

The thought that any bugs or problems would be directly affecting my brain
kind of freaks me out.

I definitely like the idea of reshaping my brain, but I'm pretty cautious. I'm
comfortable with things like exercise, diet, and meditation. But I want to
know that I'm in control of the process.

~~~
russell
The early adopters will probably those who need it for medical reasons: blind,
deaf, brain/nerve damage, prosthetic limbs, Alzheimer's, etc.

~~~
chris11
Brain implants have already been in use for a decade. Brain pacemakers have
been successfully used to treat epilepsy, Parkinson's, and depression. So
while the implants seem relatively simplistic, they do exist.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_pacemaker>

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mynameishere
It's the only thing that could possibly undivide humanity.

~~~
philwelch
Only if we all have to get them.

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spoondan
Humanity is already deeply divided by the ownership of technology; it has been
for all of recorded history. Those that have the technology have won the wars,
grown the food, and built the shelters to survive and propagate in greater
numbers. The availability of augmented brainpower may widen the gap, but it
will not create it.

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mannicken
I predict a dilemma. On one hand, there will be an offer to become a cyborg
with superior intellect. And let's just call this futuristic mind-enhancing
technology "chip", to simplify further.

So, on the other hand this chip will contain methods to manipulate thoughts of
people. Thus, making thought crime possible. Sex offenders and criminals will
be forced to accept this, of course. So if you pee in public, you'll have to
have you thoughts controlled for the rest of your life.

On the other hand, as the thought power of intellectuals will be brought
further and further forward, their differences and disobediences will also be
punished. The consciousness will be merged together. So, we'll have a giant
brain made up of intellectually-enhanced cyborg-people that will be able to
solve a crapload of problems.

Ok, this scares me. A lot.

~~~
biohacker42
Ever watched any Ghost in the Shell?

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joshhart
OH MY GOD IT'S THE END OF THE EARTH CYBORGS AND ROBOTS WILL KILL US ALLL!!!

I admit that some of the latest advancements in brain-machine interfaces have
been impressive, but articles like these are ridiculously bogus. Even if we
could make a nontrivial BMI it would still require a surgeon to plant it just
right. Don't even get me started on AI.

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asciilifeform
Factory-issue brains have already divided humanity.

