In 1969 DARPA launched the DARPA Internet Program, the ancestor of today’s Internet. Could neuroscience be today’s bet?
Book cover
Nowadays security establishments’ investment in neuroscience is extensive and growing, while the effects of chemical compounds on the nervous system seems to be a key point in this scene.
At the same time new questions arise;
How do developments in neuroscience affect national security?
Which are the ethical and policy issues that emerge from this relationship?
Under what circumstances does military-funded technology bring positive results to society?


“Mind Wars”, an excellent book by Jonathan D. Moreno – published by Dana Press, is here to fill in this gap in today’s literature. Before this book no one had attempted a systematic overview of neuroscience developments and their relation to national security. The author takes the discussion about neuroscience and its possible security implications a step further. He takes into consideration neuropharmacology issues, the brain structure and discusses about devices that interact with the peripheral nervous system and the way they affect the brain.
In brain science, correlating neural activity with subjective intentionality is a goal that drives researchers to major technological advances. Topics like brain-machine interfaces lie on the edge of today’s active research. But political, social and ethical implications arise when these topics connect with potential military applications under the framework of national security funded research.
The author stresses on the role of neuroethics and questions its absence in the world of national security neuroscience and policy on acceptable areas of research.

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