Date sent: Sun, 20 Feb 2000 16:53:18 -0500
From: Robert Owen <rowen@technologist.com>
Subject: Re: Perception, Cognition and Nicotine
To: extropians@extropy.com
Organization: The Orion Institute
Send reply to: extropians@extropy.com
> Joe E Dees wrote:
>
> > Could the purported cognitive benefits of nicotine (improved
> > memory and logical function) be due to the narcotic dampening
> > effect nicotine has upon our perceptions, thus reducing
> > phenomenal distractions from abstract processing?
>
> This may indeed be a contributive factor; what impresses me
> most about the pharmacology of nicotine is its effect on our
> aggressive tendencies. It is a fact that hyperaggressive per-
> sonalities with criminal histories benefit significantly from the
> administration of nicotine.
>
> By extrapolation to learning theory, isn't it reasonable to infer
> that, pari passu, an enhancement of passive receptivity and
> submissiveness could account for improvement in retention
> and acceptance of the constraints of purely logical processing?
>
Either factor, or most likely both in tandem, could explain the
aforementioned benefits. It is also not beyond the pale to view the
two as interconnected; that which dampens perceptions would also
most likely dampen actions as well (and vice versa), and by means
of the same chemical mechanism, which would thus facilitate
increased cognitive ability by means of two related although
distinguishable effects.
>
> Bob
>
> =======================
> Robert M. Owen
> Director
> The Orion Institute
> 57 W. Morgan Street
> Brevard, NC 28712-3659 USA
> =======================
>
>
>
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