What does it mean to build a "second brain," and why do we think that's a Good and Valuable thing to do?
What strange historical and cultural paths led us to this cerebral cyborgian dream?
Many of these questions and themes align with concepts I explored in - my anthropology thesis on the Quantified Self movement.
Luckily I have a small community of fellow BASB enthusiasts here in London to explore these questions with.
At our March 2020 meetup I put together a lightning talk exploring how Second Braining relates to our notions of cyborgs, our embodied experiences, and the historical legacies that landed us here.
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548502/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_19.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548503/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_20.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548501/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_13.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548500/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_11.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548502/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_14.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548499/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_4.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548499/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_5.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548499/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_6.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548500/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_8.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548500/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_7.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548498/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_2.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548499/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_3.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548500/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_9.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548502/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_18.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548500/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_10.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548508/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_39.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548508/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_40.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548502/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_16.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548502/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_15.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548507/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_37.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548508/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_41.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548505/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_30.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548503/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_24.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548504/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_25.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548504/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_26.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548505/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_31.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548499/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_1.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548508/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_42.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548509/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_43.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548505/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_27.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548503/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_23.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548503/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_22.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548503/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_21.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548507/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_38.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548509/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_44.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548505/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_29.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548506/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_34.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548506/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_33.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548506/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_35.jpg)
![Slides from my talk on becoming a neo cartesian cyborg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dg3gyk0gu/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto:good,w_960/v1594548506/maggieappleton.com/notes/neocyborgs/cyborgs_36.jpg)