Thought Reading Not Discussed

[Original Article at]
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/science/living/article6898177.ece

Oxford neuroscientist Russell Foster told reporter Chris Gourlay that rapid advances in the field of technological thought-reading were throwing up ethical dilemmas, adding, “It’s absolutely critical for scientists to inform the public about what we are doing so they can engage in the debate about how this knowledge should be used." [Psychic computer shows your thoughts on screen, Sunday Times, 1 November 2009]

The Christian Against Mental Slavery single issue group's position in that eventual "debate" was set out in 2002. We later set our stall as exhibitors at the 2004 Labour Party Conference, and on our website. We say that the technological monitoring or influence of human thought without consent ought to be declared a crime against humanity.

For seven years now, we have been applying for more-or-less every advertised opportunity to debate this issue in public, with anybody who takes a position contrary to ours. I am therefore delighted that The Sunday Times is again giving publicity to the need for such public ethical debate, a need that our international single issue group identified in 2002, and which Dr Foster at Oxford has also identified more recently.

However, this is far from being the first time since 2002 that a British newspaper has reported a technological thought reading research project, including in the report an academic's quote that public ethical debate about technological thought inference is needed. Whenever this happens, this group usually writes immediately to the newspaper concerned, offering for publication an opening shot in the debate, as today. So far, the newspapers concerned have shown no interest in actually publishing in their pages any of the public debate invited. What are all these letters editors waiting for before hosting debate, I wonder? Blood on the streets? Do they think that the ability of Big Brother to read people's thoughts technologically without consent isn't important enough a development for it to be discussed in the press yet?

John Allman Secretary,
Christians Against Mental Slavery
http://www.slavery.org.uk
Fleet, Hants, UK GU51 3XZ