Today's New Scientist has an excellent interview with Richard Glen Boire, Director of the Center for Cognitive Liberty and Ethics (CCLE). Last year Richard wrote several guest blogs on Brain Waves (here) discussing cutting edge issues in neuroethics. Here is a short excerpt from today's interview. (I highly recommend reading the whole piece.)

So who should have control? (of your brain)

It's clear that by manipulating the brain you can change thought, and because your thoughts are central to who you are, and because freedom of thought is necessary for all our other freedoms, it ought to be the case that the individual, as opposed to the government, has the ultimate control over matters of the mind. Without freedom of thought, what freedom remains?

How is the CCLE financed?

We get no government funding. Most of our funding comes from people who are involved primarily in developing the internet. They see the internet as an amazing technology for communication, yet at the same time they see its brightest promises being held back or co-opted by archaic legal concepts. They are interested in making sure that these new technologies, like neurotechnology, don't get misused, misapplied or regulated in a way that takes the heart out of them - or which removes the greatest possible benefit, or, even worse, directs them into some of the darkest applications. They want to see freedom of thought expanded rather than contracted.

Please join me in supporting CCLE. As a member of their board of advisors I can assure you that this is one of the best run non-profits around. Donations can be made on-line (what's $40 when your freedom to think and control your brain is on the line).