Week 7 - Neuroscience + Art

I found this weeks discussion and topic nothing short of fascinating. One of the greatest mysteries and wonders of the human race is that of the mind. This could be a result of us not knowing much about the human mind due to the fact that it's only recently started to be researched. One of the first questions Professor Vesna asked us was, "What does it mean to be in this moment now?" (Neuroscience Pt 1 Video). It's deeper philosophical questions like this one that have drawn me so heavily into the mystery of the human mind and the neuroscience field.

One of the more fascinating subjects that Professor Vesna touched on this week was the consistent use of chemicals, herbs, plants, etc. that humans have used for centuries in order to alter their minds for an elongated period of time (Neuroscience Pt 3 Video) . This is particularly common throughout teenagers from all over the world who use drugs such as Adderall to heighten their focus and assist them in their schoolwork.

Additionally the discussion around Sigmund Freud and his cocaine addiction along with the variety of uses and products that included cocaine was a huge surprise for me. This resulted in people becoming addicted to various products that at the time were just considered to be linked with the 'drug of their time'. 

Lastly and perhaps the most intriguing portion of the lecture surrounded the topic of mind control. While idea of controlling ones mind may seem far fetched now there are other methods of controlling and altering ones mind that exist currently. One of the ways in which this is possible can be seen through the consumption of drugs as discussed before. I agree with Professor Vesna when she says that the eventual emergence of mind control is possible. If the emergence of mind control occurs within my lifetime I would prefer to see this be conducted in a way that is beneficial to society rather than for a manipulative motive.


Sources:

arXiv, Emerging Technology from the. “Neuroscientists See a New Way to Manipulate Minds.”MIT Technology Review, MIT Technology Review, 26 Oct. 2016, www.technologyreview.com/s/602695/how-network-neuroscience-is-creating-a-new-era-of-mind-control/.

“Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 18 May 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_resonance_imaging_of_the_brain.  

Saleh, Naveed, and Steven Gans. “Does Cocaine Have Any Legitimate Medical Uses?”Verywell Mind, Verywellmind, www.verywellmind.com/does-cocaine-have-any-legit-medical-uses-1124135.

Sandoiu, Ana. “New Sleep-Promoting Brain Cells Identified.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 4 Sept. 2017, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319273.php.  

“The Effects of Cocaine Use.” DrugAbuse.com, 26 Oct. 2017, drugabuse.com/library/the-effects-of-cocaine-use/.

Vesna, Victoria. Lecture. Neuroscience pt 1 Video. University of California, Los Angeles, May 14, 2017. 

Vesna, Victoria. Lecture. Neuroscience pt 3 Video. University of California, Los Angeles, May 14, 2017.  

www.sfn.org/about/about-neuroscience.