Hatrack River Forum: Sunshine is eternal and a mind can be spotless

This is topic Sunshine is eternal and a mind can be spotless in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/main/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=049132

Posted by lem (Member # 6914) on :

Apparently we can now target specific memories to erase, given the right drug at the right time.

quote:
Researchers have found they can use drugs to wipe away single, specific memories while leaving other memories intact. By injecting an amnesia drug at the right time, when a subject was recalling a particular thought, neuro-scientists discovered they could disrupt the way the memory is stored and even make it disappear.

quote:
The research suggests memories can be manipulated because they act as if made from glass, existing in a molten state as they are being created, before turning solid. When the memory is recalled, however, it becomes molten again and so can be altered before it once more resets.

The drug used by the scientists is thought to disrupt the biochemical pathways that allow the memory to "harden" after it is recalled.

This sounds like really cool sci-fi. Everyone I know talks about how fast science is changing our life. I agree it is fast. The information age took me by surprise. But this...this is beyond "things going faster," this is...I am flabbergasted.

What are the ramifications of erasing memories? I can see a whole new level of date rape, abuse, military abuse, et cetera. I don't think the benefits of eliminating PTS is worth it.

This scares me on a whole new existential level.

Posted by MightyCow (Member # 9253) on :

The worst part is, they can also make you forget the fact that they're making you forget something.

For all we know, any of us could have already been made to forget any number of things.

Let the paranoia ensue! [Evil Laugh]

Posted by MattP (Member # 10495) on :

So, if memories become plastic during recollection, are we able to modify our own memories at the time that we are remembering them?

Posted by FlyingCow (Member # 2150) on :

quote:
So, if memories become plastic during recollection, are we able to modify our own memories at the time that we are remembering them?

Absolutely - this has been the cause of marital spats for generations! [Big Grin]

Posted by orlox (Member # 2392) on :

Radio Lab did a show on this a few weeks ago:
http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/episodes/2007/06/08

Radio Lab is amazing. I recommend going through their archives too.

Posted by Desu (Member # 5941) on :

According to the artile it seems as if they have not tested for memory loss in other areas. I wonder if the patients now find it more difficult to 'solidify' memories.

Also, d'you think the patient would be able to remember the event but not the details? e.i. "I was raped, but I can't remember what happened, who did it, or how it took place."

Certainly opens up many new prospects in a number of fields (psychological, corporate, military).