system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[Ethical implications of memory manipulation.]

A common ethical dilemma regarding telepathy or technology that allows someone access to another person's mind is the manipulation of their memories. Some examples would include:

1. Overwriting someone's memories/personality as an alternative to the death sentence to make them a productive and safe member of society.

2. Forcing an individual to forget details or events that might put a person or organization at risk (e.g., the neuralyzers in "Men in Black.").

3. Implanting false memories or mental blocks as a means of deterring a certain behavior.


However, what are your thoughts on the ethics behind entering an individual's mind to assist them in encountering memories that may be the causative root for criminal or delinquent behavior? For example, entering the mind of a prisoner with multiple convictions for assault to assist him in facing the memories of physical abuse from a parent and obtaining closure?
gpt
A few things:

* Modifying memories should always require consent. The right to remember is a basic human right.

* Modifying memories to change someone's personality, or as a correctional tool, would make sense. However, the most ethical way to handle it would be as an alternative to a prison sentence or other punishment.

* Cosmetic memory alteration would be a thing. You could use it to get rid of trauma, attempt to change your personality, or download recreational memories. Charles Stross calls the profession of a memory-eraser an "apologist," because a good apologist will argue in defense of your memories and who you are right now.

* Memories may be a valuable commodity. You would get people who perform wild stunts or other outrageous things so that they can sell the memories. You might also see news reporters release first-hand sensory reports on their streams. Crowdfunding models might lead to things like 24/7 sense streams, or people who act based on their audience's votes.

* If you can plant memories into someone, it will be used as a training tool. If the risk of brain damage is high, or varies from person to person, that may also be a factor (such as re-training your career being impossible, or a certain percent of the population being un-trainable).

* You can bet that memory manipulation would be used to protect trade secrets. Usually by willing parties under contract who are getting paid very very well.

* Copyright law should never extend to memories, because that would lead right into a dystopia.

* Criminal theft of memories can and will occur, especially for stealing passwords and other private information. Modifying someone's memories without consent would be equivalent to rape.

* This same technology makes brain backups and personality uploading possible, leading to immortality via cloning.