Thoughts on Brain Alteration
In an earlier entry, I mentioned that some scientists believe religious ideas would one day be curable with medication. A medical scientist I met a while ago explained that preliminary data from an ongoing research project shows that the brain of a deeply religious person shares many features with the brains of people suffering from schizophrenia and other severe mental disorders. “To hear God’s voice when you pray is not that different from hearing voices of people that don’t exist,” he said. “And to believe in heaven and hell is not that different from believing the furniture is out to get you.”
In a comment, a reader wrote that he has heard scientists talk about a future “cure” for homosexuality with the help of similar brain-altering medication. He wanted my thoughts on that. I will try to elaborate on my ideas here.
With future brain-altering medication, it might become possible to change people’s sexual orientation. It is, of course, hypothetical, but it seems reasonable to think that the possibility to alter the brain and mind of people would not stop at religious beliefs and sexual orientation. We can assume—for the sake of the argument at least—that scientists will be able to alter just about every part the human mind. But would that make all possible alterations equally desirable? I think not.
I would argue that religion is what causes homophobia and the problems gay people face in the world. If religion goes, so would the desire to turn gays straight. Furthermore, religion is a far greater threat than homosexuality as it prevents the development of human society; homosexuality only says something about the individual whereas religiosity makes claims about the world. We can see it the news if we pay attention: religious people use violence against gay people, but gay people don’t use violence against religious people. So why cure homosexuality when religion is the root to the problem?
I’m not sure it would be a good idea to try to fix people’s brains. But as we learn more about the human brain, many things about us will be viewed in a different light. Angst-ridden religiosity, severe drug abuse, compulsive sexual predatory, uncontrollable rage, etcetera, might not be different from, say, migraine and psoriasis.
You write: "If religion goes, so would the desire to turn gays straight."
Well no, I sorry to say, but there are several political orientations that also dislike homosexual people, so that would not solve the problem you describe.
You write: "I’m not sure it would be a good idea to try to fix people’s brains. But as we learn more about the human brain, many things about us will be viewed in a different light. Angst-ridden religiosity, severe drug abuse, compulsive sexual predatory, uncontrollable rage, etcetera, might not be different from, say, migraine and psoriasis."
Since I guess you don't think the government, or anybody else, shuold make the choice which alterations and to whom I think you agree that the argument must be that this kind of alterations must, like migraine, be made on a volontary basis?
Now, it is nice to let people choose for themselves is it not?
The world is as it is. Thus a lot of people would and do think it is unnatural with homosexuality. Very many parents would, if they got the chance of choosing, make sure their children would not become anything else but hetero.
So, would one forbid parents to make the best choices for their children? Well it is (in Sweden at least) forbidden to do female circumcision. Thus it could be argued that this kind of alterations should not be permitted on children, only on adults.
Now, few would argue agains the extermination of migrane, even on children. In Iran (and a big bunch of other countries) few would argue agains the extermination of homosexuality. Deaf persons do oppose the current extermination of deaf people (due to progress within medicin). But when everybody can hear, how will miss the deafness? In Iran, will anyone miss homosexuality if it in the future get's exterminated?
I guess my argument ends up in a question of science. Should everything be subject of science? In general my answer would be yes. I am hetero myself, I am very much non religious. But at the same time I do see a problem if both these, and of course a lot of other, things would be exterminated and the human mind and natur would be a altered. Are we playing god? Where is the limit?
Thomass,
I think you are right. There will always be people who dislike the “abnormal”. However, homophobia is closely linked to religion. But yes, I guess some parent would chose not to give birth to a gay child. On the other hand, there will be people who chose not to give birth to children with a number of possible characteristics.
There is another aspect too. In Europe and America, an increasing number of gay people become parents. I guess some of these might choose a gay child if the had the option.