Why language remains the most flexible brain-to-brain interface

Recent developments in technology have shown a new way to transmit information directly from one brain to another by using electrical signals, potentially eliminating the need for language. However, this innovation has its negative sides too. Language provides us, humans, with two key advantages: selectivity and negotiation. By using language, we can select what we want to say to others and what we don’t want society to know. Negotiation means the continuous process of asking and receiving feedback from those we are working with, and modifying our thoughts based on the interaction. But when it comes to directly sharing information, we lose these significant abilities. Every thought we have could be automatically transmitted to another person’s mind, whether we want it or not. Also, we may miss the opportunity for continuous interaction — such as asking for clarification and receiving necessary feedback.

Nonetheless, some solutions to these problems are emerging gradually. One group of scientists has developed a brain-to-brain information transfer system that gives the sender the ability to receive feedback from the receiver and to resend the modified information. Perhaps in the near future, we will be capable of making more adjustments that will eventually make this communication as effective as conventional language.

To conclude, although this big leap can increase the speed of sharing information by mitigating the barrier of language, it will also cost us two of the biggest tools language provides humans to maintain social interactions.

This summary is based on Mark Dingemanse’s essay “The Space Between Our Heads” (Aeon), which explores how language allows humans to manage communication through selective sharing and real-time negotiation. Main essay link: https://aeon.co/essays/why-language-remains-the-most-flexible-brain-to-brain-interface