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- There was a UN sponsored conference in May in Tokyo that
resulted in the following Tokyo Declaration. What is significant about
it to me is that neuroscientists are openly addressing the ethics of consciousness
studies, and admitting the capabilities of technologies in controlling
the mind. Below is the web site where this declaration can be found.
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- This document is significant becomes it is a coupling
of the geopolitical world and the world of neuroscience. It states clearly
that one can both control the mind, or erase memory. The fact that it springs
from a United Nations Conference means that awareness of this is global,
and that many involved are demanding ethical guidelines. It compares this
scientific discipline to the abuses of atomic discoveries, which is a very
dramatic metaphor (especially coming out of Japan) -- which demonstrates
the recognition of its destructive potential.
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- Gail Whittaker
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- Tokyo '99 Declaration
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- By Mari Jibu Ph. D. and Tarcisio Della Senta Ph. D. http://www.ias.unu.edu/introduction/search_frame.htm
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- Good afternoon, our fellow scientists and philosophers.
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- We speak to you, and on your behalf, in a spirit of hope.
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- In the coming years, studies of the brain and the mind
will advance our understanding of consciousness.
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- In this quest of knowledge, the hope is for improving
human wellbeing and the conditions of life on Earth.
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- Since early ages, with the power of their brain, human
beings have developed knowledge and tools for doing both good and bad.
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- Today, we have the intellectual, physical and financial
resources to master the power of the brain itself, and to develop devices
to touch the mind and even control or erase consciousness.
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- We wish to profess our hope that such a pursuit of knowledge
serves peace and welfare.
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- But remember: twice in recent years we virtually failed
to use brilliant scientific discoveries to serve such ends.
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- The competition for mastering nuclear power has not made
the world safer, nor has the analyses and synthesis of DNA relieved concerns
raised by genetic engineering.
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- The question of ethics is before us once again, at the
dawn of new discoveries about the brain and consciousness.
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- This time, though, we are armed with the lessons of past
failures, lessons that help us to meet the imperatives of hope.
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- Colleagues, let us take the first step.
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- Let us turn towards the brilliant scientific discoveries
of the brain and consciousness, and seek a way towards peace and welfare,
along which scientists and philosophers of the world may contribute to
a good conscience of humanity and ethics.
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- Let us work for the wonders of science, instead of serving
its dark powers.
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- Together, let us explore our brain and move towards a
science of consciousness that will encourage arts, ethics and thinking.
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- This is, and will be, an endless quest, which will not
be completed in a hundred days, nor in a thousand years, nor even perhaps
in our life time on this planet.
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- But, let us begin.
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- Then, our fellow scientists and philosophers of the world:
do not ask what you can establish with purely scientific interest only,
but rather what you can do to serve human peace and welfare.
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- Let us erase the egocentric discipline-confined approach
and join the collective effort to develop a science of consciousness.
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- And let us developed it for fundamental discoveries and
for serving the hope of human welfare, never warfare.
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- Will you join in such a historic effort towards hope?
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- Directions
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- Go to the web site:
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- http://www.ias.unu.edu/introduction/search_frame.htm
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- A page that says Search pops up. Type consciousness
into the box.
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- You will arrive at a list of options under the heading
of Search Results. Click on: "Toward a Science of Consciousness -
Fundamental Approaches - Tokyo '99"
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- You will be led to a message that says "Please warp
to our post conference Web Page." There you will see a hyperlink that
says Star Gate. Click on that.
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- A green page will appear announcing the conference "Towards
a Science of Consciousness."
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- Scroll down the green page until you arrive at three
columns. Two say "Supported by" and "Sponsored" by
in normal size print. To the left of these is a column in small print,
beginning with "Greetings." The eighth item down is a hyperlink
that says "Tokyo '99 Declaration." Click on it. And there you
will find the Declaration.
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