After trying out a few different smart drugs I realize now that cognitive enhancement comes at a price. You cannot enhance one area of the brain without taking from another. As we gain more control over our body's processes we will also have to realize that wisdom is necessary in making sound choices as to when to enhance and why. For now, while I am still ignorant however, it is fun to experiment.
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Everybody wants to be happy, right? Well, some meditate, some reflect, and some just don't have the patience for traditional methods. Here I go over two experiments where I stumbled upon unexpected artificially induced happiness.
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The butterfly effect is a metaphor for what is actually referred to in science as “sensitive dependence on initial conditions from chaos theory.” Basically, it states that a small change in one place of a complex system can affect a much larger change elsewhere in the system. The underlying question that fueled this concept was crafted into the name of a speech given by Edward Lorenz to the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1972. It was titled “Does the flap of a butterfly's wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas?”
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A study was published in the journal Social Indicators Research where researchers predicted that the calming effects of group meditation would reduce violent crime in Washington D.C. by over 20 percent. This experiment took place over an 8 week period in the summer of 1993. After rigorous analysis of the data, the director of the Institute of Science, Technology and Public Policy at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield Iowa, John Hagelin, who was also lead author of the study, ruled out an extensive list of alternatives, and concluded that the experiment had a direct correlation to the 23 percent decrease in crime from June 7th to July 30th.
Recently I decided to put all the enhancement methods I have been learning to the test and challenge myself to learn some real world skills. The first (of many I am sure) is learning German.
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Recently I had the pleasure of discovering an amazing website called Zen Pencils.It is a site by illustrator Gavin Aung Than that brings to cartoonish life profound quotes by some of history's most famous thinkers. Arguably this site offers an entertaining and easily digestible path to spiritual and intellectual enlightenment.
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The denotative definition of Quantum Mechanics is the branch of mechanics that deals with the mathematical description of the motion and interaction of subatomic particles. It merely defines the mechanics of super tiny particles; the unseen world of the microscopic.
“Quantum mechanics” has become a buzz word in popular culture. Books like The Secret and movies like What the Bleep Do We Know loosely use the term to explain unverified phenomena. Often the subject is so misunderstood that it seems as if magical powers can be attributed to the quantum world. It is such a complex and often obscure subject that it opens the door to allow people to believe anything and call it science. To be sure, there is much still unknown in the universe. But far from magic, science does offer some intriguing puzzle pieces, that when put together, create a pretty unbelievable portrait of the world around us.
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I spend a little time in the gym each day, I’ve noticed recently, watching my surroundings, and formulating opinions on what I see happening. Day in and day out there are the same guys…probably you...going through the motions, but missing the point. I see you in the gym day after day doing the same moves with poor form, congregating with your buddies, spending more time reminiscing over the previous night’s conquests than being effective, “ trying “to build some muscles to no avail. I see you there and I use to be you; wanting a chest like Arnold Schwarzenegger and arms like Frank Zane. Muscle-less and with about as much of a clue. Difference is, I was training at home and following diets out of books. You are in a gym with at least a handful of guys who obviously DO know what they are doing (you know, those serious looking bulky guys sweating at the squat rack), so what’s your excuse?
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I accept that generally taking “drugs” isn’t the first solution that comes to mind when people are seeking ways to be more productive, creative, or intelligent. In fact, I’d imagine the majority of those seeking to become better versions of themselves are purposely shying away from consuming any concentration of manufactured substances. However, I’d like to take this time to really emphasize what nootropics are. They really aren’t like the “drugs” you are thinking of when you hear the word. They are more like supplements, but specifically for your brain. Not even supplements…I’d say they are more like protein shakes.
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Shortly after taking on the Get Limitless project, I realized that I would need to start implementing the strategies laid out in the book. One of the most interesting and controversial of those strategies is tDCS. So, I set out to apply a 2mA current directly to my skull.
After finding only a handful of commercially available devices that cost thousands of dollars I learned that you have to be a certified clinician for these companies to even sell to you. What was my alternative?
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