Scientists in Spain are using prisoners as guinea pigs in experiments to determine if electrical stimulation to certain parts of the brain can curtail aggression. Pending government approval, the team of researchers will send a current into the inmates’ brains via electrodes, targeting the prefrontal cortex, which helps govern decision making and social behavior. The scientists posit that stimulating more activity in that area of the brain will reduce aggression.
Needless to say, the project is controversial. Even if the inmates consent to join the study, can incarcerated people truly give free consent?
If science can stimulate an area of the brain to reduce aggression, what anti-social behavior might they target next? What if the current is too strong or hits the wrong spot? Could stimulating a portion of the brain create electro-junkies?
What happens next?
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