I’m curious as to why caffiene wasn’t sufficient, but also why modafinil would offend people?
As a schedule IV drug, it’s surely some sort of crime to offer or accept. Some people will not want to associate with such people or organizations on moral grounds, risk-aversion grounds, or fear of other people’s disapproval on either ground etc.
It is, some places. Just not the USA where CFAR is operating now and the foreseeable future. I’m a big fan of modafinil as you might guess, but if CFAR were even idly considering providing or condoning modafinil use, I’d smack them silly (metaphorically); organizations must obey different standards than individuals.
I agree that they should uphold strict standards for numerous reasons. That doesn’t prevent CFAR from discussing potential benefits (and side effects) of different drugs (caffeine, aspirin, modafinil, etc.). They could also recommend discussing such things with a person’s doctor as well as what criteria are used to prescribe such drugs (they might already for all I know).
My current stance, which I’ll push for quite strongly unless and until I encounter enough evidence against to update significantly, is that CFAR would do very poorly to talk explicitly about any drugs that the USA has a neurosis about. We can talk at a layer of abstraction above: “How might you go about determining what kinds of effects a given substance has on you?” But I am pretty solidly against CFAR listing potential benefits and drawbacks of any drugs that have become rallying cries for law enforcement or political careers.
I’m curious as to why caffiene wasn’t sufficient, but also why modafinil would offend people?
What about trying bright lighting?: http://lesswrong.com/lw/gdl/my_simple_hack_for_increased_alertness_and/
As a schedule IV drug, it’s surely some sort of crime to offer or accept. Some people will not want to associate with such people or organizations on moral grounds, risk-aversion grounds, or fear of other people’s disapproval on either ground etc.
Ah, I thought it was an over the counter drug.
It is, some places. Just not the USA where CFAR is operating now and the foreseeable future. I’m a big fan of modafinil as you might guess, but if CFAR were even idly considering providing or condoning modafinil use, I’d smack them silly (metaphorically); organizations must obey different standards than individuals.
I agree that they should uphold strict standards for numerous reasons. That doesn’t prevent CFAR from discussing potential benefits (and side effects) of different drugs (caffeine, aspirin, modafinil, etc.). They could also recommend discussing such things with a person’s doctor as well as what criteria are used to prescribe such drugs (they might already for all I know).
My current stance, which I’ll push for quite strongly unless and until I encounter enough evidence against to update significantly, is that CFAR would do very poorly to talk explicitly about any drugs that the USA has a neurosis about. We can talk at a layer of abstraction above: “How might you go about determining what kinds of effects a given substance has on you?” But I am pretty solidly against CFAR listing potential benefits and drawbacks of any drugs that have become rallying cries for law enforcement or political careers.