3 ms·

I can make inputs to your neurons via your eyes or ears. Does that count as mind control?

Zambyte 3y ago
No. That is not controlling the mind. That is using normal sensory facilities to communicate with a mind. To use computers as a metaphor, what you described is like influencing the behavior of a computer by sending it a network packet. That is a normal operation that computers are built to process. Hypnosis is like remotely hacking the computer - you use normal sensory / normal network processing means to command unauthorized actions. Neuralink is like taking a magnetic needle to the systems memory to both read and write to influence the behavior and access information from it. The lattermost is mind control.
- Turskarama 3y ago
  The point I'm making is that _inputs_ to the brain are not automatically mind control, since there are existing inputs that are clearly not mind control. In fact, it would be really difficult to implement mind control with a NeuraLink, because you would need to tune it to do so first, and how would you do that? Vision and hearing on the other hand have been done previously with electrodes.
  - Zambyte 3y ago
    > The point I'm making is that _inputs_ to the brain are not automatically mind control That's why I said "a direct interface to the brain" is kind control. > In fact, it would be really difficult to implement mind control with a NeuraLink, because you would need to tune it to do so first, and how would you do that? Are you suggesting that the work that they are doing at NeuraLink is easy and not mind control? Because I think it is both hard to do and mind control. The easiest way to do it is to take advantage of people who have medical reasons that something like this could greatly improve their life (see the OP). > Vision and hearing on the other hand have been done previously with electrodes. I very well could be ignorant about this, but I don't believe people walk around with internet connected electrodes attached to their head. I do consider that mind control though, because it is directly controlling the mind, circumventing normal sensory inputs. It just usually is limited to a medical setting, rather than being a permanent addition to your mind, so it's far easier to rationalize.

No. That is not controlling the mind. That is using normal sensory facilities to communicate with a mind. To use computers as a metaphor, what you described is like influencing the behavior of a computer by sending it a network packet. That is a normal operation that computers are built to process. Hypnosis is like remotely hacking the computer - you use normal sensory / normal network processing means to command unauthorized actions. Neuralink is like taking a magnetic needle to the systems memory to both read and write to influence the behavior and access information from it. The lattermost is mind control.

Turskarama 3y ago
The point I'm making is that _inputs_ to the brain are not automatically mind control, since there are existing inputs that are clearly not mind control. In fact, it would be really difficult to implement mind control with a NeuraLink, because you would need to tune it to do so first, and how would you do that? Vision and hearing on the other hand have been done previously with electrodes.
- Zambyte 3y ago
  > The point I'm making is that _inputs_ to the brain are not automatically mind control That's why I said "a direct interface to the brain" is kind control. > In fact, it would be really difficult to implement mind control with a NeuraLink, because you would need to tune it to do so first, and how would you do that? Are you suggesting that the work that they are doing at NeuraLink is easy and not mind control? Because I think it is both hard to do and mind control. The easiest way to do it is to take advantage of people who have medical reasons that something like this could greatly improve their life (see the OP). > Vision and hearing on the other hand have been done previously with electrodes. I very well could be ignorant about this, but I don't believe people walk around with internet connected electrodes attached to their head. I do consider that mind control though, because it is directly controlling the mind, circumventing normal sensory inputs. It just usually is limited to a medical setting, rather than being a permanent addition to your mind, so it's far easier to rationalize.