A recent Atlantic article mentioning some of these issues actually re inspired me on some out loud thoughts on this subject, not that I hadn't considered this previously although such could be entirely from the lay viewpoint.
One in discussion, perhaps, as a mention to more critical aspects, neither given to any inclination of out right refuting claims, there are, perhaps, well reasoned thoughts to consider the likely validity of a claim. The main point in this, that I have argued previously, were concerning the matter of if, if ever, such technology existed that allowed for some permissible entry into the mind controlling and producing say anything like an auditory hallucination or visual hallucination as I've seen suggested, it would seem the necessary inducement of neuronal responses are highly varied and extremely complex in doing so, or in other words, with all the likely errant microwave signals floating around, or even chaotic high level cosmic energy likely floating around (that we've generally evolved alongside) that a human mind might construct signal coherence in the form of neurons firing in proper ordering producing the likely effect experienced that sufferers describe. A second part of this argument focuses on the necessary technology in doing so even in reading potentially the signatures and patterns of the brain, and mostly this focuses upon, for instance, as in the case of magnetic resonance imaging, the large scale structure of such device, and its limitations otherwise in usage. If you happen to see such a machine, firstly, you'd notice not only this being quite large, but that with its given scale, limitations requiring that any imaging measurement should require a patient to be place inside the machine, and thus neither operable at any particular distance. Thus a machine scaled as large as MRI being limited as it were in so far as technology seems to be a potential clue indicator of the limitations of any potential electromagnetic device alone. At least as far as we know, for instance, there doesn't seem to be any possibility that a wearable or chip implant would cut it in so far as producing pin point magnetic moments in the brain, or electric moments that would necessarily produce neuronal signaling. Then it would appear, as has been argued, that some medicine or chemical compound might be introduced aiding in the augmentation of any given signaling process. I personally find this potentially suspect, if only given the potentially to any problems with signal dispersion, and potentially how one might trigger say, if possible, a chemical compound attached to a neuron, one neuron in distinction to other neurons that would replicate pathway sequencing that might be found through some higher level stimulation (e.g., all the stimulated neurons associated say with the an auditory experience of a given voice). To produce this sort of articulated neuronal response, likely would need on the other hand a precision based transmission source, neither degenerating and dispersing likely over space, and where each attachment point (to a given neuron) were key designated in some manner. The ability to do this? Given there are likely as many neurons in your brain as there are stars in the galaxy, this is a big catalog in the making if it were possible.
There have been studies, for instance, in trans genetically modifying the brains of mice, where making mice neurons photo receptive supposedly. In these cases, it would appear rudimentary signaling between neurons have been achieved, but again limited success has been achieved on this point. Light sources or lasers, in particular, with a bulky and quite obviously cumbersome transmitter source attached to the mice, however, would indicate limitation with respect to what such a device were capable of achieving. More likely in such case, between individual neurons, it could be possible for present day technology to manipulate neurons, but not likely to manipulate the huge cascade of neurons in the right succession and pathways necessary to form some of the high level experiences described. More likely on the other hand, a government might have better luck, if a conspiracy were true, with something like ergot, a known fungus whose toxin were known to produce LSD like hallucinogenic effects than stimulation through some direct neuronal contact procedure. As it turns out there have been historical findings suggesting a possibility for truth on these matters (see also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1951_Pont-Saint-Esprit_mass_poisoning )
The other possibility being a drug like ergot, one should imagine, potentially used an adjunct to any particular electronic device, but likely only producing generalized likely neurological effects.
At this point, it seems less likely, however, that present day technology is capable of doing much beyond say reading rudimentary thoughts (and at this doing so) with the aid of building up a library of a given patient's mind in order to understand the neurons responsible for a particular thought. In other words, building up any sort of sophisticated mind reading library, is likely time consuming, and technology much to cumbersome in scale to really to be of adequate use right now.
However, I predict, that technology through say trans genetics could potentially make for the potential reality and concern that our minds may not as likely be under our control as much as we like to think in some potential future, and this literally being the case.
One in discussion, perhaps, as a mention to more critical aspects, neither given to any inclination of out right refuting claims, there are, perhaps, well reasoned thoughts to consider the likely validity of a claim. The main point in this, that I have argued previously, were concerning the matter of if, if ever, such technology existed that allowed for some permissible entry into the mind controlling and producing say anything like an auditory hallucination or visual hallucination as I've seen suggested, it would seem the necessary inducement of neuronal responses are highly varied and extremely complex in doing so, or in other words, with all the likely errant microwave signals floating around, or even chaotic high level cosmic energy likely floating around (that we've generally evolved alongside) that a human mind might construct signal coherence in the form of neurons firing in proper ordering producing the likely effect experienced that sufferers describe. A second part of this argument focuses on the necessary technology in doing so even in reading potentially the signatures and patterns of the brain, and mostly this focuses upon, for instance, as in the case of magnetic resonance imaging, the large scale structure of such device, and its limitations otherwise in usage. If you happen to see such a machine, firstly, you'd notice not only this being quite large, but that with its given scale, limitations requiring that any imaging measurement should require a patient to be place inside the machine, and thus neither operable at any particular distance. Thus a machine scaled as large as MRI being limited as it were in so far as technology seems to be a potential clue indicator of the limitations of any potential electromagnetic device alone. At least as far as we know, for instance, there doesn't seem to be any possibility that a wearable or chip implant would cut it in so far as producing pin point magnetic moments in the brain, or electric moments that would necessarily produce neuronal signaling. Then it would appear, as has been argued, that some medicine or chemical compound might be introduced aiding in the augmentation of any given signaling process. I personally find this potentially suspect, if only given the potentially to any problems with signal dispersion, and potentially how one might trigger say, if possible, a chemical compound attached to a neuron, one neuron in distinction to other neurons that would replicate pathway sequencing that might be found through some higher level stimulation (e.g., all the stimulated neurons associated say with the an auditory experience of a given voice). To produce this sort of articulated neuronal response, likely would need on the other hand a precision based transmission source, neither degenerating and dispersing likely over space, and where each attachment point (to a given neuron) were key designated in some manner. The ability to do this? Given there are likely as many neurons in your brain as there are stars in the galaxy, this is a big catalog in the making if it were possible.
There have been studies, for instance, in trans genetically modifying the brains of mice, where making mice neurons photo receptive supposedly. In these cases, it would appear rudimentary signaling between neurons have been achieved, but again limited success has been achieved on this point. Light sources or lasers, in particular, with a bulky and quite obviously cumbersome transmitter source attached to the mice, however, would indicate limitation with respect to what such a device were capable of achieving. More likely in such case, between individual neurons, it could be possible for present day technology to manipulate neurons, but not likely to manipulate the huge cascade of neurons in the right succession and pathways necessary to form some of the high level experiences described. More likely on the other hand, a government might have better luck, if a conspiracy were true, with something like ergot, a known fungus whose toxin were known to produce LSD like hallucinogenic effects than stimulation through some direct neuronal contact procedure. As it turns out there have been historical findings suggesting a possibility for truth on these matters (see also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1951_Pont-Saint-Esprit_mass_poisoning )
The other possibility being a drug like ergot, one should imagine, potentially used an adjunct to any particular electronic device, but likely only producing generalized likely neurological effects.
At this point, it seems less likely, however, that present day technology is capable of doing much beyond say reading rudimentary thoughts (and at this doing so) with the aid of building up a library of a given patient's mind in order to understand the neurons responsible for a particular thought. In other words, building up any sort of sophisticated mind reading library, is likely time consuming, and technology much to cumbersome in scale to really to be of adequate use right now.
However, I predict, that technology through say trans genetics could potentially make for the potential reality and concern that our minds may not as likely be under our control as much as we like to think in some potential future, and this literally being the case.
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