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Human Mind Project hopes to change how we think

‘Human Mind Project’ hopes to change how we think

By Dick Pelletier

With the human genome sequenced; and neurobiology and cognitive science advancing exponentially, European scientists believe the time is ripe to launch an interdisciplinary research project on exactly what it means to be human.

This is the conclusion of experts led by University of Edinburgh’s Keith Stenning who chairs the ‘Human Mind Project’, an aggressive group with seventeen research projects already underway. Stenning believes that increased knowledge of the human mind could one day enable science to bring about more positive, less dangerous human thinking and behavior.

The project addresses the following areas of research: mind development, thought processes, motivation, decision-making, cultural context, and the genetics of cognition. Scientists will seek to understand how our species evolved with such a complex mind, how experiences influence development and aging of the brain, what motivates people to cooperate with or disregard others, and which behaviors stem from culture or nature.

The group started with conferences and discussions on “what it means to be human”, and now includes a series of grant-funded projects, each bringing together researchers from several disciplines and at least two EU Member States.

Technology alone cannot solve many of the problems humanity will face in the future. “We also need to change thinking and behavior if we are to create a better world out of the overcrowded, polluted and bustling global village we now inhabit”, the experts say. “Increased knowledge of the human mind will give us the power to make these changes”.

Human communication requires that we recognize each other’s intentions in order to cooperate or compete. This will be an extensive area of research for the group. Another area is reasoning. Here, the focus will be on how information-engineering approaches such as AI might interact with cognitive science to increase our intelligence.

A most important area of research includes infant helplessness, or altriciality. This refers to a distinctive aspect of biology, namely that human babies are born helpless; and must spend many years as “apprentices”, maturing and acquiring survival skills. This presents major consequences during development of the human mind/brain.

No other animal is so helpless at birth. Most are born with full adult size brains, humans come into the world with just 25 per cent of their mature brain.

Focusing on altriciality will help us understand how humans become social. If the first thing a baby sees is a smile, and if social cues are central to its survival, this shapes the way it learns to think about the world. During this time, an infant learns to manipulate adults by using its voice, even before it can control its arms.

Philosophers suggest that much of our uniqueness, from personality development to how we think about religion and mortality, unfolds during this time when our brain is growing. The group hopes to understand how altriciality affects whom we become later in life. This, they believe, could provide solutions for many adult psychological issues.

Better understanding of minds will help us identify and adopt changes in behavior necessary to maintain peace in a world of growing demands and shrinking natural resources. The Human Mind Project promises a safer and more “magical future” for everyone.

For more go to ftp://ftp.cordis.lu/pub/nest/docs/nest_pathfinder_projects_en.pdf

This article will appear in various print media and blogs; comments always welcome. See other published work by Dick at http://www.positivefuturist.com

Published Tuesday, January 31, 2006 8:12 AM by futuretalk

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	JanessaVR wrote on February 1, 2006 4:54 PM Your take on is sounds a bit ominous. Do you picture such "necessary" changes to people's minds as being voluntary? Certainly I have no intention of voluntarily submitting to a "pacification" procedure - I'd go out fighting to the death first.
	futuretalk wrote on February 1, 2006 5:51 PM This huge undertaking aims to improve human thinking by developing a better understanding of what it means to be human. Scientists hope their research will uncover some of the underlying problems with ways that humans communicate with each other. They believe their work will lead to more harmony and peace and less violence. Today, no one forces law-abiding citizens to seek psychological help, and in the future, this will not change. Better understanding of the human mind is a natural part of our evolution into what some of us hope will be a “magical future”. Kudos to the European Union for being first to attempt this monumental task; I hope the US, Japan and other nations follow their lead.
	JanessaVR wrote on February 1, 2006 6:40 PM Even with this knowledge, then what? Either publish it in a self-help book (and just hope that lots of people will read it) or make improvements mandatory? This knowledge by itself is just that - it does nothing but sit on a hard disk or book somewhere. Unless people choose to change themselves in accordance with it or you force them to change in accordance with it, it's still status quo on that front. Physical enhancements will likely be quite popular, having your mind re-worked into a more "understanding" one is likely to be less so. Don't hold your breath on a wonderful age of "universal harmony and understanding."
	futuretalk wrote on February 1, 2006 7:10 PM To JanessaVR, Perhaps you could click on the link provided at the end of the article and look at some of the 22 endeavors now underway. This might give you a better understanding of what is being attempted.
	JanessaVR wrote on February 1, 2006 7:47 PM I just don't automatically expect it to give us "peace on earth."
	timeless wrote on February 4, 2006 2:16 AM (This is a good project, allthough the knowledge already exist, if not they would not be able to put up the mind control system they already have in place these days. Which for a fact exists!) The good thing about the project that is described here is that it could open new doors for humanity, the bad news is that history always shows that a power "elite" will take advantage of such technology and use it for control and gaining more power. In fact it is the power elite who has started this ball rolling, why? Because they want all good for the people?? People in general need to be more observant and critical towards the power people behind these projects. I also see, sadly that transhumanism sometimes work more like a commersial thing for the industry than it creates critical discussions. People seem to avoid some issues here that I think are very important. I think people should pay more attention to agendaes and people behind the scenes. Who are these people and who do they represent? I see some connections to the oil industry and the Bush clan and they never wanted the science in the secret projects to come out. They are controllers! They want a development towards nano-tech which already is obsolete, because this way some people will stay way ahead of the public and keep themselves in power, it will also give them a huge amount of money to fund their black projects even more, as the oil did. And we stupid people are following it up! :-) Just some thoughts!
	futuretalk wrote on February 4, 2006 11:15 AM Is it your belief that researchers involved with these 22 European Union projects belong to some kind of “power elite”? One of the programs, The Braccia Project includes participation from your country, Norway. Are they “bad guys” too? Understanding exactly what it means to be human will provide invaluable data to scientists everywhere. This undertaking could set in motion the progress necessary to unfold a future without crime and terrorism. If our destiny is to achieve a “magical future”, this could be the most important element needed.