By John Horgan, Scientific American
Of all scientific fields, neuroscience has the greatest potential for revolutionary advances, philosophical and practical.
Someday, brain researchers may figure out how precisely the brain encodes thoughts like the ones Iím thinking now. Cracking the neural code could help solve the mind-body problem, ending millennia of pointless metaphysical chitchat.
We may finally understand how brains work and why sometimes they donít. We might even discover truly effective treatments for depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and dementia and chuck our current quasi-therapies.
It is because I have such high hopes for neuroscience that Iím so upset by two trends in financing of the field. One involves neuroscienceís growing dependence on the Pentagon, which is seeking new ways to help our soldiers and harm our enemies.
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