Get your nostalgia back

A catalog of memes. This is a huge time sink. You have been warned.

Better Living Through Chemistry? Starting 2010 Off Right

Here's your PHIL 101 question for the day: What if there are chemicals out there (or yet to be invented) that enhance normal cognitive function, promote well-being, and alleviate suffering through things like promotion of social bonding experiences? What if these changes are sustainable and not subject to the principle of adaptation?

Does it somehow just feel wrong to entertain the idea of using these drugs? To think about using money to develop them? If so, why do you think you feel that way?

Here's a brief but surprisingly thorough discussion of pretty much every current and potential psychiatric medication (sans the meds for psychotic disorders). The angle here is what chemicals might we use to enhance well-being, not necessarily which drugs have the potential to treat "genuine" illnesses. Of course, psychiatric illnesses aren't as easily classifiable as genuine vs. not yada yada yada.

Considering what relatively little I know about neurochemistry (a hard fact for me to admit, but one that I must in order to engender my personal progress), this site seems to me like a thoroughly scientific, well-researched summary and springboard from which you might form opinions about chemical mood-boosting. Your mileage may vary.

I wish I knew who to credit the picture too because it's beautiful, but I don't.