I, for one, welcome our drug-enhanced overlords.

I used to do this, ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin makes a good cocktail.. The caffeine and aspirin are socially accepted, but it's the ephedrine that gives you the 'kick'. Bodybuilders use this stack to get an extra couple of reps out of everything (Anyone remeber Ultimate Orange?), but it's generally accepted that as a metabolism increasing drug, ephedrine will increase concentration too - in fact a World Superbikes rider was once stripped of a title due to testing positive for ephedra. The official line in that case was that this is a concentration enhancing drug.

Side effects vary from being jumpy, irritable, nervous and writing a couple of operating systems in an afternoon to heart failure.

disclaimer: Don't take ephedrine. I don't do it anymore and neither should anyone unless instructed by your doctor :)

My job (for the most part) is sooooo mind numbingly boring at times that a fistful of "brain enhancing pills" would do me the world of good . . . . .

There is one (hidden as yet) problem with this though.

SPAM ..... yep, now the 117 emails that I get every morning offering me either Viagra or Penis extensions will be supplanted by offers to give my memory a boost along with my manhood.

Paris (again) cos she is a natural penis extender

... and there are already prescription drugs out there that will do this for you. Ritalin, for example, for the right sub-set of the population (those with borderline attention deficit - too low a threshold to be regarded as needing help) is a fantastic aid to clearing the mind and focusing attention. Of course, as an amphetamine it is illegal to use without a prescription... ... and may not have the right effect on 'completely normal' people... if there are any out there of course ;-)

...after brain pills unlocked my latent psychic powers!

Doing well in exams proves that you can do well in exams. It doesn't necessarily prove that you know your stuff. Someone who leanred in a comfortable and relaxed environment but then finds exams very stressful will find it hard to recall what they have learnt when in an exam. Also learning anything when stressed is difficult.

Offerning university students Ritalin seems like a good idea, as it should allow them to perform at their best. It doesn't make you smarter, it helps you concentrate. The only downside (quite a big one, granted) is the addictive qualities of Ritalin. It's not like taking steroids, because the relation between improved ability to create and use muscle and the performace in athletic events compared to the relation between how well you concentrate under extreme stress and how clever you are are quite clearly different.

Had I known that it would improve my concentration even if I didn't have ADHD, or a related neurological condition, then I would have probably tried to get some Ritalin 5 years ago.

"Public suspicions of cognitive enhancement fall into five categories according to the AMS:

* Unwanted or unknown side effects, related to a general fear of addiction and the absence of information about their long term effects.

* Devaluation of 'normal' achievements and the potential reduction in the intrinsic value of the effort and motivation involved in learning.

* Inequality, particularly if such drugs were expensive. Pressure to use and exacerbation of an already over-competitive culture.

* Control of people's behaviour.

* Personality change, perhaps resulting from long-term use. "

Those five categories of Concern regarding Cognitive Enhancement would be easily Allayed and Confirmed to be be so Allayed with a Chronicling of Cause and Effect with MasterPilot Users of Research Medicines/Substances.

You will QuITe Quickly discover, under ControlLed Conditions [Monitoring and Mentoring OverSight] that the Future Benefits in Natural Selection and not Immoderate Abuse, will Lay Waste to any Negative Conotation and Untested Concern.

And how very Strange that Man be worried about Cognitive Enhancement .... Greater IntelAIgents ......... for if chemically Enhanced is IT also Artificially Advanced.

QuITe whether you could accept IT as Alien, is up to you ...... for Life is for Loving in the Best Beta Frames of Mind ..... for XXXXtraOrdinary Rendition of Alternate Realities, Virtually, with Media Complicity for Privilege Hosting.

Given the Path that some leaders are allowed/permitted to Follow with InfraStructure Support, surely some Cognitive Enhancement would be Most Welcome across the Great Games Board?

You know caffeine has a stimulating effect on the brain as well. So they'll ban coffee and soda next, yes?

As usual, The Simpsons put it all in perspective:

"According to my uncle, Miss Springfield isn't as beautiful as she seems. Word is she uses appearance-altering cosmetics." -Lenny [CABF02, "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"]

"The use of psychoactive drugs by patients and healthy individuals will become an increasing feature in our lives"

This is news? Haven't people been doing this since the first caveman discovered how to ferment grains or that breathing the smoke of certain plants tossed on a campfire gave him a good feeling, just the thing to relax after a hard day of chasing buffalo and dodging spears?

I guess the only difference is that people now want to increase their cognition instead of their mood. IMHO, most people could use a boost in both departments.

Mine's the one with the number 25 on it...

www.erowid.org

I want names, I want places, I want dates,...

"Arnold Rimmer, his locker, this morning"

I've seen non-ADHD folks on Ritalin and similar compounds, or at least coming off it, and it's not a pretty sight. Sometimes they won't shut up for hours. I doubt I would want that, even if it helped in an exam. I would also have to live with the shame that I had to use a drug in order to pass/pass well. As apparently a lot of people have no problem with that sort of fakery, the same way as they have no problem with fake boobs & noses etc due to value attributed the desired "results", it points to a serious issue with the value system within out society. Shame went out of fashion a good while ago.

Unless you keep taking drugs you will not be able to repeat that performance. You'll be as addicted to them as you are to caffeine now (and let's be honest, caffeine is a terrible, terrible substance if you take a closer look). And good luck once you impregnated that "pretty" woman with all the known and unknown "enhancements". Better start saving up now, because the Igorina she'll sprog will demand surgery too as soon as she can.

It's all moving in circles. Bad.

I have been so content with Ritalin all this time. Luckily the downloadable pdf report had a break down of new things to try on page 143. =)

Don't forget Grog! Every sailor used to get their daily ration of Grog. (I think the practice was finally discontinued in the 80s, wasn't it?)

Mine's the one with the fifth of Pusser's in the pocket...

or the BLUE pill?

I do believe amanfromMars is a perfect example of the long term effects of cognitive drugs!

Elsewise, I remember reading about how the state one's mind is in when learning something affects how it's remembered later, Ie, if you've had a couple of drinks and then study, you'll do best on the exam with a couple under your belt.

(Well, it's as good an excuse as any!)

"My job (for the most part) is sooooo mind numbingly boring at times that a fistful of "brain enhancing pills" would do me the world of good"

I feel your pain but brain enhancing pills are the last thing you need. Imagine every soul-destroying second passing with matrix bullet-time-esque slowness and every moment of tedium etched permanently into your memory in horrific clarity?

Stick to booze n caffeine!

I come from lake titicaca

Not that I would condone or encourage you but take a look at:

http://www.wired.com/medtech/health/magazine/16-05/gs_05drugs

An easy guide to brain boosting drugs and how to get them.

... if appropriate quantities of these brain enhancers were to be introduced into the victuals at the House of Commons? Er ... and the civil service canteens and ...

Mine's the one with the faded psychedelic patterns.

Personally I couldn't care less if people used these kind of enhancers. It is up to them to weigh up the pros and cons, and manage usage.

But I'd hate to be going into an exam and be surrounded by people all dosing up. Are they going to have an advantage over me simply because I choose not to pop some pills?

It seems to me that the biggest need for concentration in exams is speed -- the ability to plow through the questions before time's up. Maybe if exams were always generous with time (say two hours for one hour's worth of questions) these kind of enhancers would not give so much of an edge?

amanfromMars, you are as usual, when i get it, bang on. Unfortunately, in the GGOL plenty of the affluent/influent are missing a rook or two. The masses are the ones that stand benefit. Sadly, the world brain trust of power will never allow a en passant. Moo, moo Zzzz, Zzzz, spend, spend.

Eyes opened by ritalin comments... step son was diagnosed ADHD. I didn't see much difference on or off the prescription (concerta and ritalin at different times) but can certainly attest that there was NO addiction. He was desperate to STOP taking it - in fact I wondered sometimes if he really needed it at all.

But the bit about "concentrating on the interviewer's tie"... I wonder if maybe I should go and self medicate with some amphetamines.

While your arguement was valid and interesting i felt compelled to comment should you re-read this post.

Your decisions to dismiss everyone elser arguements based on the idea that they hadn't taken ritalin or weren't a parent of a child who does is ridiculous.

For all you or i know matthew may be a doctor with many patients on the drug, or a researcher. Or he may simply have a very strong interest.

This 'if you haven't X then your point is invalid' is one that annoys me no end, and weakens your own well made arguement.

i haven't ever jumped off a cliff, shot myself in the foot, or gone nude into town however i know from empirical, and anecdotal evidence, as well as a general social understanding that none would do me any favours.

WRT to your other assertion, at the end of your post, I have to agree with steve.

I was off the mark about Ritalin being addictive. I read the article that says something along the lines of "People take Ritalin to increase their concentration ... concentration enhancing drugs are addictive." Put 2 and 2 together and made 5. My mistake.

The symptoms you describe your son having are similar to those experienced by people who take speed. A commenter has already mentioned that Ritalin is an amphetamine. Just an FYI, if you didn't already know.

So it seems I should have taken speed before exams. If only I'd known.

Well known factoid to polish of the Friday... High altitude training and the removal of blood for re-injection just prior to a competition are widely accepted as "normal" in competitive sports, so what's the difference if one obtains the same effect from a chemical, an environment or from a medical procedure?