Comments on: Further Blending the Arts and Sciences http://sites.bu.edu/ombs/2010/10/07/further-blending-the-arts-and-sciences/ Sun, 14 Apr 2013 03:08:56 -0400 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 By: Ed Webb http://sites.bu.edu/ombs/2010/10/07/further-blending-the-arts-and-sciences/#comment-587 Ed Webb Fri, 08 Oct 2010 23:39:47 +0000 http://blogs.bu.edu/ombs/?p=790#comment-587 I've been tracking discussion of neurocinematics for several months now, but my interest is more in the political rather than commercial potential for the techniques and technologies that this research program might lead to. Will existing regulations suffice to limit such applications (see, e.g. http://eroedelsilencio.wordpress.com/2006/09/21/legal-issues-of-subliminal-message/) or will the US and other democratic countries have to develop new controls? And what of illiberal democracies and non-democracies? The potential for abusing any new tool of 'mind control' (the dream of autocrats everywhere) is considerable. I’ve been tracking discussion of neurocinematics for several months now, but my interest is more in the political rather than commercial potential for the techniques and technologies that this research program might lead to. Will existing regulations suffice to limit such applications (see, e.g. http://eroedelsilencio.wordpress.com/2006/09/21/legal-issues-of-subliminal-message/) or will the US and other democratic countries have to develop new controls? And what of illiberal democracies and non-democracies? The potential for abusing any new tool of ‘mind control’ (the dream of autocrats everywhere) is considerable.

]]> By: Kayla Ritchie http://sites.bu.edu/ombs/2010/10/07/further-blending-the-arts-and-sciences/#comment-586 Kayla Ritchie Thu, 07 Oct 2010 19:04:03 +0000 http://blogs.bu.edu/ombs/?p=790#comment-586 Curious. Even without all this fancy technology that conveys a viewer's neurological response, Hitchcock still managed to make astonishingly suspenseful and grabbing films. With this new development, will we ever be able to say that a film is a masterpiece, and it's creator an artistic genius? Also, Wright's doubts about the existence of a "buy button" in consumers does not hide the fact that this method certainly aspires to finding one. Of course advertisers want to narrow in on what factors can contribute to a person's willingness to make a purchase. But should they be allowed to? What if they could design the ideal commercial that appealed to every consumer's desire to buy? Could consumers be convinced to buy (or do) anything? It's a slippery slope, and unfortunately we're already half way down. Curious. Even without all this fancy technology that conveys a viewer’s neurological response, Hitchcock still managed to make astonishingly suspenseful and grabbing films. With this new development, will we ever be able to say that a film is a masterpiece, and it’s creator an artistic genius?

Also, Wright’s doubts about the existence of a “buy button” in consumers does not hide the fact that this method certainly aspires to finding one. Of course advertisers want to narrow in on what factors can contribute to a person’s willingness to make a purchase. But should they be allowed to? What if they could design the ideal commercial that appealed to every consumer’s desire to buy? Could consumers be convinced to buy (or do) anything? It’s a slippery slope, and unfortunately we’re already half way down.

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