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Author Topic:   Mind reading
Yaro
Member (Idle past 6496 days)
Posts: 1797
Joined: 07-12-2003


Message 1 of 60 (124962)
07-16-2004 9:13 AM


I was just thinking about this, and I thought I would tap the knowledge of the more learned folks on the board.
Do you think mind reading will ever be possible?
Will scientists ever understand the 'data storage' process of the mind in such detail that they will ever be able to output its contents?
Is this theoreticaly possible?
Seriously, I was wondering what the scientific rout would be to achiving this.

Replies to this message:
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 Message 5 by coffee_addict, posted 07-16-2004 12:17 PM Yaro has not replied
 Message 6 by mike the wiz, posted 07-16-2004 12:57 PM Yaro has not replied
 Message 7 by 1.61803, posted 07-16-2004 3:44 PM Yaro has replied
 Message 10 by sidelined, posted 07-17-2004 9:41 PM Yaro has not replied
 Message 13 by pink sasquatch, posted 07-18-2004 4:40 AM Yaro has not replied
 Message 15 by Denesha, posted 07-19-2004 4:01 AM Yaro has replied

  
jar
Member (Idle past 394 days)
Posts: 34026
From: Texas!!
Joined: 04-20-2004


Message 2 of 60 (124980)
07-16-2004 11:28 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by Yaro
07-16-2004 9:13 AM


I seriously doubt it will ever become something reliable. Why just today I was trying to remember where I left my socks...

Aslan is not a Tame Lion

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contracycle
Inactive Member


Message 3 of 60 (124988)
07-16-2004 12:15 PM


I'm not sure. In p

  
contracycle
Inactive Member


Message 4 of 60 (124989)
07-16-2004 12:15 PM


I'm not sure. In principle, it should be do-able, but there may be specific engineering problems that make this tricky. Like the inversion of the retina; who knows what other unexpected specifics we might run into? In which case the solution may well be so cumbersome as to not be worthwhile.

  
coffee_addict
Member (Idle past 477 days)
Posts: 3645
From: Indianapolis, IN
Joined: 03-29-2004


Message 5 of 60 (124990)
07-16-2004 12:17 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by Yaro
07-16-2004 9:13 AM


Even if we can decipher the chemical codes that make up the memory, we still have to deal with the problem of telling the difference between real memory and false memory. Even people have trouble telling the difference between real memory and false memory.
The human mind isn't like a computer harddrive. However, anything is possible I suppose.

The Laminator

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mike the wiz
Member
Posts: 4752
From: u.k
Joined: 05-24-2003


Message 6 of 60 (125003)
07-16-2004 12:57 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by Yaro
07-16-2004 9:13 AM


I doubt mind reading will ever be possible. Certainly not any kind of specific or accurate mind reading anyway.
When we approach the things that are really big mysteries, like the mind or death; then we realise that we really aren't as intelligent as we think we are. And I seriously doubt we could figure such things out.
Besides, I think it is made so that minds cannot be read, and I certainly wouldn't want mind-reading to become a reality.

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1.61803
Member (Idle past 1504 days)
Posts: 2928
From: Lone Star State USA
Joined: 02-19-2004


Message 7 of 60 (125051)
07-16-2004 3:44 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by Yaro
07-16-2004 9:13 AM


Collective conciousness
Interesting idea Yaro,
I do believe in the power of positive thinking. I do not think that the human mind will ever be a deciphered in the way that you describe because our brains do no operate in the same fashion as a computer. A computer is a turing device that simply assigns a 0 or a 1 adds a 1 or erases a 0 . The manipulation of the data is what gives it content. Humans on the other hand have memories and various layers of life experience that express content to our thoughts. And depending on the state of the person the data will differ. If everything in the universe is connected and "separateness" is just an illusion then mind reading would not be impossible because if one could tap into this collective conciousness the mind of all would be accessible.
I believe this happens from time to time and would explain alot of paranormal phenomenon such as ESP. Anyways I realize this sounds flakey as hell so I will stop here . *edit typos
This message has been edited by 1.61803, 07-16-2004 02:46 PM

"One is punished most for ones virtues" Fredrick Neitzche

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Replies to this message:
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One_Charred_Wing
Member (Idle past 6155 days)
Posts: 690
From: USA West Coast
Joined: 11-21-2003


Message 8 of 60 (125327)
07-17-2004 8:19 PM
Reply to: Message 6 by mike the wiz
07-16-2004 12:57 PM


Too dangerous
mike the wiz writes:
Besides, I think it is made so that minds cannot be read, and I certainly wouldn't want mind-reading to become a reality.
Amen to that, it's way too dangerous. I don't want to sound conservative, but that's playing with fire. Plus, just imagine what kind of nosey oppression the governments would do.
(Edited to add quote box)
This message has been edited by Born2Preach, 07-17-2004 07:20 PM

Wanna feel God? Step onto the wrestling mat and you'd be crazy to deny the uplifting spirit. http://www.BadPreacher.5u.com (incomplete, but look anyway!)

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Yaro
Member (Idle past 6496 days)
Posts: 1797
Joined: 07-12-2003


Message 9 of 60 (125335)
07-17-2004 9:24 PM
Reply to: Message 7 by 1.61803
07-16-2004 3:44 PM


A little flaky
But seriously....
how the heck is info stored in the brain?!

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sidelined
Member (Idle past 5908 days)
Posts: 3435
From: Edmonton Alberta Canada
Joined: 08-30-2003


Message 10 of 60 (125337)
07-17-2004 9:41 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by Yaro
07-16-2004 9:13 AM


Yaro
Do you think mind reading will ever be possible?
I would think the problem right now is in what way would mind reading occur? Are thoughts actually echoes of electrical activity in the brain or is there a subtle link with our voice apparatus.
I find that when I am thinking that I actually am involving the use of speech at a very low volume.I will actually breathe in the same way I do when speaking aloud only far more subdued. I have not ever inquired whether this is the same with other people.
If this is the case and our thoughts are subtle vocalizations then reading minds may require not then interception and magnification of electrical activity from the brain but rather the intonation of our vocal apparatus.

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jar
Member (Idle past 394 days)
Posts: 34026
From: Texas!!
Joined: 04-20-2004


Message 11 of 60 (125338)
07-17-2004 9:45 PM
Reply to: Message 9 by Yaro
07-17-2004 9:24 PM


Re: A little flaky
In some folk there are rows of well organized file cabinets. Or in mine, there is this big pile of notes written on scraps of paper.

Aslan is not a Tame Lion

This message is a reply to:
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Mission for Truth
Inactive Member


Message 12 of 60 (125339)
07-17-2004 9:51 PM


Personal Opinion (is that what IMO stands for?)
Identical twins that have lived together all their life can probably anticipate thoughts by just looking at eachother. They are so similar that they generally have the same cognitive processes and thus are able to operate as one - some of the time. I imagine a close nit married couple could be somewhat similar as well.
I believe mind reading is entirely possible. But to describe it is infinitely harder. I think it's more of a matter of knowing described by the metaphysical rather then something concrete such as something to do with anatomy. Not that science couldn't eventually describe it.
Interesting idea though.

  
pink sasquatch
Member (Idle past 6022 days)
Posts: 1567
Joined: 06-10-2004


Message 13 of 60 (125408)
07-18-2004 4:40 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by Yaro
07-16-2004 9:13 AM


It's not that far-fetched-
There's been studies that have predicted the actions of monkeys in simple games shortly before they actually start the actions. I believe a brain scan was used for the prediction - I searched around a bit to find a reference/description of the study but didn't find it. Perhaps someone else has?
The closest I found (but NOT the study mentioned above): http://www.dukemednews.org/news/article.php?id=7266
Also, brain scans (I believe PET?) have been used to visualize regional brain activity in humans in real-time, associated with exercises in language, memory, emotionality. In one memorization exercise (this was on Scientific American) the brain scan could predict whether or not the subject would actually remember information, on a piece by piece basis.
This is a much more simplistic mode than outputting its contents, but it's a step in that direction. If at present a diagnostic test will reveal that a subject is angry, maybe in the near future one will reveal that the subject is angry-at-their-boss.

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1.61803
Member (Idle past 1504 days)
Posts: 2928
From: Lone Star State USA
Joined: 02-19-2004


Message 14 of 60 (125470)
07-18-2004 2:36 PM
Reply to: Message 9 by Yaro
07-17-2004 9:24 PM


Re: A little flaky
The nueropathways that make up the information highway in our brains is about as complex as anything humans can ask questions about. I do not know HOW the information is stored. I do not know how the information is encoded. I do not know even how it is accessed, much less how it could be transmitted verbatum. I do know there are experiments with chimps that are able to move a computer cusor with thought. This is at the beginning stages but current research may someday find a way to use thought to manipulate machines. Sorry that I do not know the answer to your question, Perhaps someone on this board knows? I for one would be interested.

"One is punished most for ones virtues" Fredrick Neitzche

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Denesha
Inactive Member


Message 15 of 60 (125588)
07-19-2004 4:01 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by Yaro
07-16-2004 9:13 AM


Yaro,
Just curious, what's that rush to store all these knowledges in your brain ?

This message is a reply to:
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