Ethical Issues raised over new brain scan that can read people's intentions

[mandy]

A team of world-leading neuroscientists has developed a powerful technique that allows them to look deep inside a person's brain and read their intentions before they act.

The research breaks controversial new ground in scientists' ability to probe people's minds and eavesdrop on their thoughts, and raises serious ethical issues over how brain-reading technology may be used in the future...

The use of brain scanners to judge whether people are likely to commit crimes is a contentious issue that society should tackle now, according to Prof Haynes. "We see the danger that this might become compulsory one day, but we have to be aware that if we prohibit it, we are also denying people who aren't going to commit any crime the possibility of proving their innocence."...

full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/story/...17,00.html

[jezebel]

The research breaks controversial new ground in scientists' ability to probe people's minds and eavesdrop on their thoughts