Zack Lynch is author of The Neuro Revolution: How Brain Science Is Changing Our World (St. Martin's Press, July 2009).
Neurotechnology represents better tools for mental health. As I mentioned in my letter to President Bush last year, neurotechnology will emerge before genetic engineering as the primary toolset that humanity will use to counter the growing global mental health epidemic for many reasons, including:
Indeed, as neurotechnology develops it may turn out that in a majority of situations humans will choose neurotechnology instead of genetic engineering to combat disease because each versatility it offers.
It appears that some were listening to this line of reasoning. The recent shift in the President's Council on Bioethics towards neuroethics is proof that people are beginning to see that neurotechnology is becoming to be seen as the real driver of near term economic, social and political change, rather than genetic engineering.
But the genetic engineering meme remains deeply embedded across society. Just yesterday, the otherwise insightful economist, Tyler Cowen, suggested that parents will likely choose to genetically engineer their children to be more "obedient". Really? Would you really choose to permanently shape the personality of your future children if tools were available to allow them to make their own choices when they deemed it appropriate?
Indeed, it has only been in the past few months that have we have seen the most effective medium of mass education, movies, begin to address the impact that neurotechnology will have across society. While the highly specific memory erasure neurotechnologies that are portrayed in movies like Eternal Sunshine in the Spotless Mind, PayCheck and the soon to be release Robin William's film, The Final Cut, remain unproven, last month's NYTimes magazine piece on measure erasure technologies shows the field in moving faster than many would think.
To accelerate the public understanding of neurotechnology and galvanize the financial markets focus on this area, I have recently joined forces with Kevin Jones to accelerate the neurotechnology meme into the global consciousness. I am honored have Kevin joining with me on this important mission of accelerating the development of better tools for mental health for all. Stay Tuned.