How Cyborg Tech Could Link the Minds of the World

An anonymous reader writes "Science writer Michael Chorost has written a book that suggests that mankind may one day be able to link individual minds to share thoughts, feelings and perceptions by genetically modifying individuals brains and implanting computers based on neural networks in the body. Here he talks about the implications for human relationships, our sense of self and phenomenon like telempathy and dream brainstorming that this so-called World Wide Mind would make possible."

Comments

Oh Crap!

[MightyMartian]

Great, now Facebook will be modifying my brain's privacy settings with little or no notice.

On the one hand

[NEDHead]

I had a thought, but I am not sure it is mine

As soon as this is invented

[mrnobo1024]

we'll have an executive order giving the government the authority to wiretap your brain and read your thoughts at any time. Without needing a warrant. They'll say it's justified by the threat of terrorism, as usual.

Teilhard de Chardin has him beat by about 90 years

[EnsilZah]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noosphere

For Teilhard, the noosphere emerges through and is constituted by the interaction of human minds. The noosphere has grown in step with the organization of the human mass in relation to itself as it populates the earth. As mankind organizes itself in more complex social networks, the higher the noosphere will grow in awareness. This concept is an extension of Teilhard's Law of Complexity/Consciousness, the law describing the nature of evolution in the universe. Teilhard argued the noosphere is growing towards an even greater integration and unification, culminating in the Omega Point, which he saw as the goal of history. The goal of history, then, is an apex of thought/consciousness.

Shared happiness

[ddrueding80]

What would happen if you made everyone feel as happy as the global average? What affect would that have on global policy and philanthropy if acting in the common good was in fact also acting selfishly?

Violent thoughts

[Caerdwyn]

So with the ability to directly convey hostility, anger, fear, and an overwhelming desire for upskirt shots, the concept of "thought crime" will become reality. "Mental assault" will be criminalized since your WOULD be able to cause distress in others with just a thought. People who were truly upset with a government would be easily detected and "dealt with".

Personally, I doubt that the tech would work as described. But if it did... consider what a surveillance-based government would do with it.

By amendment to the Constitution, any use of the aforesaid "telempathy" should be limited to online pornography.