Future mind drugs can curb violence, enhance love; erase memories

By Dick Pelletier

      

    Scientists say mind-changing drugs could be a better way of reforming criminals than sending them to jail. Pills that alter behavior offer great promise, but how ethical is it to interfere with people's emotions?

    In their recent peer-reviewed book, Enhancing Human Capacities, co-authors Julian Savulescu, Ruud ter Meulen, and Guy Kahane explore how society will benefit when we use technology to alter moods, boost or erase memory, and enhance intelligence; but many ponder the ethical concerns this raises.

    Medications that affect our moral thinking and behavior already exist, but we tend not to think of them in that way. Prozac lowers aggression and bitterness, making people more agreeable. Oxytocin increases feelings of social bonding and empathy while reducing anxiety.

    Co-author Guy Kahane defines the ideal vision of human moral behavior: "Be helpful and responsible to others, with a sense of solidarity and justice." Today's researchers are creating a wide variety of new behavior-altering drugs, Kahane says; some which make us more likeable, sociable; open to other people's views; and curb many of our desires for vengeance and violence.

    Critics question, though, whether society will want medications that would make them morally better. Being more trusting, nicer, and less aggressive could increase a person's vulnerability to exploitation.

    However, proponents believe the benefits are too important to ignore. This science would improve personal and career relationships, raise happiness levels everywhere, and reduce violence worldwide.

    Take the most personal of all human feelings – love. Although we tend to imagine love as an emotion, scientists recently scanned the brains of people who had recently fallen in love. fMRI images revealed that romance is similar to alcohol and drug addiction. Our mind becomes flooded with euphoric feelings.

    As neural research advances, scientists may one day identify the exact chemical processes happening in our brains when we fall in love, and then develop drugs that would artificially replicate the experience.

   We would then take a pill to fall in love with someone and get that person to do the same. Should our love start to fade, we would simply take more pills. Say goodbye to rising divorce rates.

    Does it matter if two people love each other naturally or with help of an outside source? There are stigmas attached to artificial methods of meeting someone, such as dating sites or arranged marriages.

    However, love remains the most beautiful and mysterious of all human feelings. The huge market potential for "romance drugs" will surely drive this research forward at blazing speeds.

    In another important area, memory-management drugs are taking center stage. Experts at University of Leicester believe they will soon develop drugs that can dim, or even erase traumatic memories.

    Such products promise to revolutionize psychotherapy. Instead of trying to overcome a past trauma, patients will simply erase all memories of the event as if it had never happened.

    And an even bolder technology, downloading knowledge directly into our brains is under development now, according to Georgia Tech graduate student Peter Passaro. Passaro suggests that mind-machine interfaces will become commonplace in 20 years, allowing us to 'brain-talk' directly with our computers.

    If we combine predicted artificial intelligence advances with brain-talking, it may one day be possible where, instead of me creating articles; I would simply think of what I want to say; the machine would scan my brain, then search the Web for content and write a grammatically-perfect piece for my approval.

    Would this artificial intelligence program replace me? No, it would still need my brain for creative guidance – at least initially. However, by mid-2030s or so, many predict computers will surpass human intelligence and cognitive abilities; so, maybe it's time to start thinking about a backup career. Flipping burgers at McDonalds? Nope – that job is also destined for elimination by automated systems.

    Clearly, the road to mind management science winds around unknown turns, but this positive futurist believes the overwhelming benefits of altering minds, will push this radical idea forward as we trek further into what promises to become a kinder, gentler; and more peaceful 21st century future. Stay tuned.

    This article appeared in various print publications and on-line blogs. Comments always welcome.