https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/14/us/politics/trump-putin-ukraine.html#permid=143523033

Subject: Thought Privacy
Date: 95-02-12 00:30:52 EST
From: minsky@media.mit.edu (Marvin Minsky)
Reply-to: extropians@extropy.org
To: Extropians@extropy.org

ImmExpert@aol.com,suggests:

>> I wonder if it is possible to build a nano-scale device which could be implanted into all people which could monitor their internal dialog and notify thought police when potential ecological threats are detected?

>> In the event that a threat was detected, what sort of intervention would be indicated?

Well, sure, but while you're at it why NOT simply detect whenever they're considering doing *anything* bad, and take appropriate actions. No need to bother the thought police, since the Monitor is already conveniently sited in the citizen's brain.

I can't claim credit for this idea, though. I got it from reading an old A.E. van Vogt story about The Weapons SHops of Isher. I once asked van Vogt about this and he thought the idea had come to him in a dream.

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I heard that there were aliens on aol, but thought it was unlikely until now.

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From extropians-request@extropy.org Sun Feb 12 00:26:57 1995 Received: from news.panix.com by mail03.mail.aol.com with ESMTP (1.37.109.11/16.2) id AA216976817; Sun, 12 Feb 1995 00:26:57 - 0500 Return-Path:extropians-request@extropy.org Received: (from exi@localhost) by news.panix.com (8.6.9/8.6.9) id AAA22107; Sun, 12 Feb 1995 00:29:19 - 0500 To: extropians@extropy.org Date: Sun, 12 Feb 95 00:27:11 - 0500 Message-Id: <9502120527.AA04204@media.mit.edu> X-Original-To: extropians@extropy.org From: minsky@media.mit.edu (Marvin Minsky) Subject: Thought Privacy X-Extropian-Date: Remailed on February 12, 375 P.N.O. [00:28:23 UTC] X-Message-Number: #95-2-147 Reply-To: extropians@extropy.org Errors-To: Extropians-Request@gnu.ai.mit.edu