Wednesday, December 10, 2008

enhancing cognition

This Nature article, Towards responsible use of cognitive-enhancing drugs by the healthy, argues that society should look favorably, and responsibly of course, on the prospects of pharmacological enhancement of cognition.  I see no credible arguments to the contrary.   Seems to me this society does not suffer from an IQ surplus.

Providing a classic real-life example of William Gibson's famous quote: "The future is already here – it's just not evenly distributed." in action, here is the MicroNutrient Initiative:
dedicated to ensuring that the world's most vulnerable - especially women and children - in developing countries get the vitamins and minerals they need to survive and thrive. 
The irony - Some of us may struggle with the choices facing us regarding deciding to use supplements to enhance our cognitive function, while others in this world suffer undue hardship due to nutritional issues.   This NYT Op-Ed piece, Raising the World’s I.Q., sheds more light on cognitive deficits resulting from nutritional deficits.

Sunday, December 07, 2008

from NYT: "In Hard Times, Fear Can Impair Decision-Making"

from Gregory Berns: see: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/jobs/07pre.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper

in particular, the conclusion:
"...And right now there are incredible opportunities to do something differently. Yes, they’re risky, and some will fail. But while others wait for the storm to pass, I’m busy expanding into new areas. If I wait for money to start flowing again, the opportunities will have passed."