Sunday, March 30, 2008

Reading your mind?

Looks like it just got closer - a computer program that will read your mind, with the help of a fMRI, of course. Check out this article about a report just published in the journal Nature. And then start thinking about all the implications . . . .

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

that is crazy! i would never want to be hooked up to that machine, but i do think that in the future it may be useful for learning the truth about crimes and things. how exciting that scientists have finally made this breakthrough!

-Meredith Haddock

Anonymous said...

That is very strange, and creepy in a way, however, it is nict to know that it can be helpful in the future. Especially the ones who are paralyzed.

-Lorea B.

Tina Coward said...

WOW! what else will they come up with

Anonymous said...

Amazing. To think that one day this technology could help prevent blindness. Especially if there were some disease of the eyes and this technology would help to determine early signs and symptoms. I couldn't imagine someone recreating dreams. Most of the time what I dream isn't something I want to remember or relive on a daily basis. But to think that this machine could help find killers and prevent crimes is a little futuristic and science fiction. But time will tell how well the technology will grow.


Kellie Alligood

Anonymous said...

I don't really like the fact that a machine can read your mind. There is just some things that people don't need to know.

Casey Pilgreen said...

I don't want everyone to know what I was thinking. That would not be a good thing.

Anonymous said...

I don't like the idea of this. There are somethings that are better left unknown.

Richard Godley said...

I dont believe in things that read your mind but it is something that sounds interesting.

Anonymous said...

I don't believe that this is the only and best way they have or could come up with to help people with the illnesses or future illnesses that they have discribed. I truly believe that his machine is an invasion of privacy. Not to mention how will all the so called mine readers of the world afford to eat now!!

Charlotte C.

Anonymous said...

I am thinking this is some sort of invasion. I can see some good in it as far as maybe using it for legal reasons, determining if a person is telling the truth, that sort of thing. But we all know that there are dishonest people in this world that would definitely abuse this type of technology. I'm still a little worried about cloning!
Valerie Banks

Anonymous said...

Wow! Scientists are comming up with all sorts of new technology these days. I think the Berkeley model is both good and bad. It may help those with diseases be able to interact with the people around them, but in other cases it could raise ethical concenrn by being able to read and evaluate your personal thoughts. This can be scary!

Anonymous said...

To me, i find the possibilities of technology to be amazing. I feel that if the stuff talked about came true the world would be a better place. Mental privacy might be an issue but only for those that are hiding something. I can only imagine what the world will be like in ten years. Will it be what they perdict, where we rely on technology for most everything or will we actually start relying on each other to solve our problems.

Dennis McKinney

Anonymous said...

To be able to detect early signs of diseases such as Alzheimers and Parkinsons would be a huge step and benefecial for many. It would also be fascinating to be able to recontruct your dreams as well. I think the benefits of this machine will do more good than harm.

Anonymous said...

Wow things have gotten so advanced! Just the thought of someone being able to see my dreams or read my mind scares me half to death. I think I would like to have my personal mental space and I would never want to be hooked up to some machine that would invade that privacy.

alex lea

Anonymous said...

Interesting. Maybe they can use it on sexual predators to see if they really can be changed.

Kendra Wooden

Anonymous said...

Creepy. The question that popped into my head first, was how could this be minipulated. Honestly, Minority Report came to mind. Scarey, there are boundaries I think should be maintained, and the final place where one can expect privacy is in one's own head. Scarey, but interesting reading.

Doug Jones

Anonymous said...

Maybe to help out police officers and stuff, but never would i get hooked up to that thing geez.

Anonymous said...

This is really neat. It just goes to show how much science is discovering every day. I think that the thing about possibly being able to read our dreams one day is very cool. Hopefully they can figure out why people have such crazy dreams some nights. -April Woolard WHS

Anonymous said...

This is a little scary to me. Just thinking about someone being able to read my mind is crazy. I though it was interesting how it said they might eventually be able to visualize dreams as well. I think it could be helpful in some ways though.
Susan Braddy(WHS)

Anonymous said...

for that machine to be able to detect early signs of diseases is amazing!
i also think that it is kind of scary to know that eventually a machine will be able to tell what your possible intentions or plans might be.

Anonymous said...

WOW! Isn't that the ultimate invasion of privacy..reading someones mind? I think that using the machine to detect diseases early is great but who's to say that it won't be used for a less noble cause...

Jamie Rieg