Unfortunately, the opportunity to reexamine it has already passed. Even without brain-in-jar sci-fi devices, technology is already sufficiently advanced to create artificial nightmares. Consider the case of state-sponsored torture, which now has at its disposal near-perfect surveillance, VR, genetic modification, a litany drugs, remotely controlled robotics, etc. It's a tragedy that scientific progress itself is a control system that is capable of overshooting its target.