The Speculist

Mind Writing

Via GeekPress, here's an interesting article on the future of mind reading technology. All the scenarios are interesting, but I was most intrigued by the last one:

Nick’s estranged wife, Helen, stands with their son, Troy, at Nick’s bedside. Helen and Nick have had a volatile marriage, plagued by Nick’s alcoholism and occasional violent outbursts. They’ve lived apart for the past four years, but he’s dying and she’s returned to his side. (Scans have shown that Helen’s brain is unusually developed in an area linked to loyalty.) She is relieved that Troy has not inherited his dad’s genes for addictive tendencies, especially since it was shown in 2025 that susceptibility to nicotine addiction was not a discrete gene after all, but stemmed from a host of genetic and environmental factors.

“Dad sure looks peaceful, Mom,” says Troy. “I know it was hard, but you did the right thing with the pain-erase memory implant.”

Helen sighs. “You were right. No time for ancient history now. I saw my own father die, and he was so debilitated by his regrets and guilt. This is much better.”

“It’s the humane thing.”

Nick stirs in the bed. His eyes flutter open. “Helen,” he whispers, “we’ve had a wonderful life, haven’t we?”

“Yes.”

“We were luckier than most people.”

“Absolutely.”

“I just hope our son can look back someday and feel at least as much pride and satisfaction as I do right now.”

Troy steps forward and takes his hand. “Don’t worry, Dad. I can practically guarantee that I will.”

When such technology becomes widespread, it won't just by used by people on their deathbeds. Everyone has memories that they would just as soon erase. Whether we should be allowed to rase them raises all kinds of stickyethical questions. Then there's a related question that I haven't seen discussed as much...what are the ethical considerations around deliberately implanting false memories?

This might be done for entertainment, as in the movie Total Recall. Or it could be done for more sinister reasons. It's been widely argued that — without the benefit of any advanced technologies — some overzealous prosecutors have been implanting false memories of molestation in children's minds for years. Think how much more difficult the truth would be to ascertain if memories could be implanted directly, rather than through persuasion.