Hi Futurists,

Blog post with links:
http://www.futuresalon.org/2009/07/future-salon-the-brain-plasticity-revolution-\
fr-july-17.html

Why Humans May Be Too Neurologically Limited To Successfully Rule The World

Super excited about our next Future Salon with Professor Michael M. Merzenich,
Ph.D. on July 17 6pm at SAP Labs in Palo Alto please RSVP:
http://budurl.com/3abd

Abstract: Brain Plasticity Revolution
We’ll discuss the principles of brain plasticity, on the way to explaining the
bases of origin of individual human abilities and the ‘Persons’ who employ
them. We’ll describe how this science has been employed to improve or
transform the lives of children and adults in need of neurological help.
We’ll consider some of the greater societal implications of our new
understanding of the brain-plasticity bases of normal and abnormal human
behaviors. We’ll try to explain how the empirical, pragmatic and
substantially fictitious notions about our self-development and about our
humanity that have provided the primary bases for the education, organization
and control of human societies are now being challenged by a scientific
understanding of the true nature of the processes that account for them. In its
implications for how we view ourselves and our rapidly evolving cultures, this
new perspective about our true, limited natures may provide the basis for rapid,
further societal degradation -- OR guide us toward large-scale societal
corrections, and cultural rejuvenation. We’ll end our conversation by
discussing a few strategies that might guide us toward that better path.

Bio: Professor Michael M. Merzenich, Ph.D.

As co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Posit Science, Michael Merzenich
heads the company’s global team. For more than three decades, Dr. Merzenich
has been a leading pioneer in brain plasticity research. In the late 1980s, Dr.
Merzenich was on the team that invented the cochlear implant, now distributed by
market leader Advanced Bionics. In 1996, Dr. Merzenich was the founding CEO of
Scientific Learning Corporation (Nasdaq: SCIL), which markets and distributes
software that applies principles of brain plasticity to assist children with
language learning and reading. Dr. Merzenich has received awards and prizes
(including the Ipsen Prize, Zülch Prize of the Max Planck Institute, Thomas
Alva Edison Patent Award and Purkinje Medal), received more than 50 patents for
his work, and published more than 200 articles, including many in leading
peer-reviewed journals (such as Science and Nature). This work has inspired the
National Academy of Sciences to elect him as a member. Dr. Merzenich’s is also
often covered in the popular press, including the New York Times, the Wall
Street Journal, Time, Forbes, and Newsweek. He has also appeared extensively on
television, and had his work featured on a PBS special titled “The Brain
Fitness Program.” Dr. Merzenich earned his BS degree at the University of
Portland and his PhD at Johns Hopkins. He retired from his long career at the
University of California at San Francisco in 2007.

Website: http://www.onthebrain.com/

Future Salons have the following structure: 6-7pm is networking with light
refreshments proudly sponsored by SAP; 7-9+pm is the presentation followed by
questions and discussion.

SAP Labs North America, Building D, Room Southern Cross or Cafeteria depending
on number of RSVPs. SAP is located at 3410 Hillview Avenue, Palo Alto, CA
94304[map]. Free and open to the public. Please spread the word and invite
others, but be sure to RSVP http://budurl.com/3abd so we know how many people to
expect.

See you all there, Mark.