Rough Type: Nicholas Carr's Blog: Managing productivity through pharmacology

Yikes – see the full post and related links for more details

I recently commented on the Nature editorial that made a case for "the responsible use of cognitive-enhancing drugs by the healthy." The writers of the editorial, a distinguished group of academics, had noted that artificial "cognition enhancement" could boost the performance and productivity of many workers: "From assembly line workers to surgeons, many different kinds of employee may benefit from enhancement and want access to it."

In a posting today, the law professor Frank Pasquale takes the next logical step, offering a modest proposal for also allowing the use of "cognition-dulling drugs" by the healthy. Pasquale notes that for many types of contemporary jobs, particularly those involving repetitive computer work, "a relentless focus on well-defined tasks can offer a real competitive edge in today’s economy."

Rough Type: Nicholas Carr's Blog: Managing productivity through pharmacology