Health

FEATURED DEBATE

Should We Erase Bad Memories?

In the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Kate Winslet’s character undergoes a procedure to erase her bad memories of her ex-boyfriend. But what if we could do the same in real life? Neurotechnology techniques, such as decoded neurofeedback, open the possibilities of influencing the brain’s neural activity to modify or erase memories that aren’t pleasant or beneficial to our well-being. Those who argue in favor say it could help offer a path to psychological well-being and emotional healing from traumatic and painful memories that lead to anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Those forgotten painful, unwanted memories would give…

August 18, 2023
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FEATURED DEBATE

August 18, 2023
LEARN MORE

Should We Erase Bad Memories?

In the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Kate Winslet’s character undergoes a procedure to erase her bad memories of her ex-boyfriend. But what if we could do the same in real life? Neurotechnology techniques, such as decoded neurofeedback, open the possibilities of influencing the brain’s neural activity to modify or erase memories that aren’t pleasant or beneficial to our well-being. Those who argue in favor say it could help offer a path to psychological well-being and emotional healing from traumatic and painful memories that lead to anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Those forgotten painful, unwanted memories would give…

Nita Farahany

ARGUING YES

Nita Farahany
Author of "The Battle for Your Brain: Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology", Professor at Duke University, and the Founding Director of the Duke Initiative for Science & Society
Sigal Samuel

ARGUING NO

Sigal Samuel
Senior Reporter for Vox Future Perfect and co-host of the Future Perfect podcast

Mock Trial: Should the Courts Restrict Access to the Abortion Pill?
About the Trial In a post-Roe v. Wade world, a medication that 63% of women use to undergo an abortion is under consideration by the Supreme Court. Mifepristone was approved as a two-drug regimen for use…
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Childhood Obesity Guidelines: Good Medicine or Too Extreme?
In 2023, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued groundbreaking guidelines to tackle childhood obesity, affecting over 14 million U.S. children and adolescents. These guidelines advocate for earlier, more aggressive interventions, including evaluating adolescents with severe…
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Should We Erase Bad Memories?
In the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Kate Winslet’s character undergoes a procedure to erase her bad memories of her ex-boyfriend. But what if we could do the same in real life?…
August 18, 2023

Is Social Media Bad for Kids’ Mental Health?
Social media platforms have become an integral part of the modern digital landscape, shaping how young individuals connect, communicate, and perceive the world around them. However, concerns have been raised regarding the potential negative consequences…
June 25, 2023

Is the FDA Too Cautious?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Atlantic criticized the US Food and Drug Administration for moving too slowly to approve vaccines with the provocative headline “The Death Toll of Delay.” Not long before, National Public Radio…
June 23, 2023

John Donvan in Conversation with David McRaney on the Science of Changing Minds
What’s it take to change a mind? It turns out there is a science to it. That’s at least according to David McRaney, a journalist, author, and host of the You Are Not So Smart…
March 17, 2023
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