Question:

Memory being read by a computer?

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just assume for a minute science has created a computer capable of reading our thoughts.. would that machine only be able to read thoughts that were currently active, or theoretically could they tap into your brain like a storage device and read it all?

my understanding of how our memory works makes me lean towards the thought that it would be very difficult for a computer to read thoughts that weren't currently active (firing)..

please only answer if actually have an understanding into the subject, as i want totally relevant answers.

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  1. im not quite sure myself, but let's just hope your not getting it confused with an MRI scanner which reads where there is thought actvity in your mind.


  2. Both.

    A functional MRI can read where your brain is active at any moment in time, hence surface thoughts.

    During neurosurgery, if the neurosurgeon electrically stimulates a part of your brain (there are lots of reasons they would do this intentionally), you might move a leg or recall a memory or sensation. Thus, previous events.

  3. I agree with Steven - that your thoughts can't be accessed unless you're actively thinking about them. And that they might be able to be stimulated and then read; think of movies where this happens - the images seem to forcefully be injected into the person's thoughts (like your life flashing before your eyes).

    Have you read the book 'feed' (can't remember author)? It's about having an internet in your head which can read your thoughts as they occur and advertise to you according to what you're thinking about at the time. It's pretty chilling.

  4. I don't think a thought probe, as you are describing it, would be able to tap into memory without enhancements.  Here is why I say this (bear with me):

    An active thought involves several related neurons and groups of neurons firing together.  So, let's say you have an image of a red ball in your thoughts (either because you are watching a red ball, thinking of an old red ball, dreaming of a red ball or imagining a red ball even if you have never seen one - doesn't matter - you are thinking "red ball"), then neurons in your visual association cortex that mean an image of a  ball and the color red are firing.  At the same time neurons in you tertiary association cortex associated with the words "red ball" fire.  Also the cortical areas associated with the sound of the words "red ball" (auditory) the image of the letters "red Ball" (visual), the sound of a bouncing ball (auditory), the feel of a ball (somatosensory), perhaps the motions associated with bouncing a ball (motor association) and so on.  All of these areas are, or may be firing together and linked together to varying degrees in a thought or memory trace (or engram not in the scientologic sense).  So a probe could theoretically observe these neurons firing and make a pretty good guess as to what the thought is.  Especially since most people have these same sensory and association cortical traces in about the same places.

    Now how is memory different?  As we experience these thougths and perceptions, these collections of firing neurons are linked to cells in the hippocampus that keep a chronological or spatial narrative of our memories.  To store these requires some active attention (or emotional association, especially negative from the amygdala), and in the case of dreams, active rehearsal of the memories (dreams are volatile memroy).  So now I am thinking of a pretty girl's b***s.  This involves a whole new collection of neurons firing and the red ball is completely out of my thoughts.  All the neurons that were firing with the red ball are still there, just not active.  So a probe would not be aware of the memory unless I actively recalled it (not likely while the b***s are present).  Now a stimulating probe might be able to stimulate the hippocampal cells and forcibly reactivate memories, but that would require both the thought probe you describe, and an additional memory stimulator.  If you had both together, then it might work.

    Forgive my crappy typing.  It is late here.

    Good question!!!

  5. first see the the documentary (human Version 2.0)

    it is possible for a computer to store  all your thoughts that is why in the 21 century artificial mind is being created.  The way a computer would be able to read you mind is by wireless technology and infrared technology. There is already a machine could tell you what are you going to think before thinking an ex: is before giving a command to your brain this machine already know what your command might be

    if you need more information just email me an i will send you article explaning about how computer are take over the brain

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