Re: Re: I was hopeful until the last 2 lines

[Guest guest]

This is all interesting, but the limiting factor is that you have to be IN the scanner to make it work. For the time being this isn't too much of a problem. What will be a danger is if they manage to create a ranged version. If they develop one that can be used at range or to scan many people in a large area, then there will be problems. For example: if they could set one up in a public place, say an airport lobby and watch for brain signals about bombs, guns, knives, killing or anger, then they'd be seriously violating personal privacy.

Most likely though they will find some way to pitch this device so the people won't care, just like they have been tricked into accepted security cameras everywhere when they have no real deterrent affect on crime.

In a message dated 1/3/2008 1:46:57 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, no_reply writes:

"The brain scans also showed many different brain regions areinvolved in processing information even in the case of something assimple as a line drawing of a hammer."Thinking about how a hammer is used activated the areas involved in movement, while thinking about the shape of a hammer and what it is used for lit up other regions."I should not make this comment, I suppose, because I am an artist, but I find that being an artist seems sometimes to help me in being able to think of more creative solutions to problems which other people tackle conventionally. I think "outside the box" thinking is something that tends to build on itself, becoming more frequent the more one thinks outside the box. This could indicate that the brain expands its abilities and capabilities throughout one's life as opposed to reaching some fixed point where development ends as scientists have postulated in the past. "The device's possibilities can, however, be extended and theteam envisage a time when it will be used to conduct infallible liedetector tests, while the accurate interpretation of a person'sintentions could allow police to arrest criminals before they breakthe law, as seen in the film Minority Report."There are plenty of people who fantasize about breaking the law but who would never do it in reality though. How many kids have thought of burning down their schools for example? I do not think this detection methods would be a good idea at all.TomAdministrator Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year.