COGNITIVE TYRANNY

The most basic and fundamental freedom is the right to be free of interference within one's own mind. Even the most repressive and authoritarian regimes throughout history have not been able to infringe on this private realm. However, advances in neurotechnology have changed this by allowing unprecedented access into the inner recesses of the human mind.The head of the Integrated Intelligence Agency (IIA), Joseph Rothstein, seeks to use this new technology to target the readers of controversial books. Three unsuspecting subjects will find themselves in his clutches. In the name of national security, Rothstein will wage a devastating campaign of mental terrorism on these unfortunate people. And in the process, the freedoms of reading, writing, speaking, and even thinking will be substantially challenged. Cognitive Tyranny is a gripping exploration of thought control and mental tyranny. It addresses the new and disturbing possibilities that have arisen with neurotechnology. And it emphasizes the importance of fundamental freedoms, such as thought, speech, and expression, that no technology should interfere with. As science and technology advance, the enthusiasm for newness often drowns out concerns about harm and abuse. This story is a resounding appeal for basic human freedoms in an era when they can be destroyed more easily and efficiently than ever before.

-- James Weekes