12-04-2019, 07:36 PM
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Re: Conundrum 2 - What Makes Me Me?
Originally Posted by Realist
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Missing the point really.The question is, IF YOU DID transplant the brain, would that person still be your partner? Or just an automaton? Is the Nature and essence that makes your partner what he/she is something to be found in the brain or is it somewhere else?
12-04-2019, 08:12 PM
12
Re: Conundrum 2 - What Makes Me Me?
Originally Posted by Tedc
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Realist,I think that you're trying to jet your head around something!
I've heard that, if a brain was transferred to another body, it would arrive with zero memories.
That would mean our brains are just the equivalent of ROM chips in a computer, memory capacity that only exists whilst the power is switched on. As opposed to a hard drive where data is recorded permanently. I'd like to see the source for that.
Don't people who effectively die and get resuscitated awake with their memories intact?
12-04-2019, 08:29 PM
14
Re: Conundrum 2 - What Makes Me Me?
Originally Posted by Realist
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Don't people who effectively die and get resuscitated awake with their memories intact?
But if it were a loved one I'd prefer they die a natural death. Being transplanted in another body would be extremely traumatic for anyone. You also have the issue of tissue memory. it's not just you brain that retains emotions and taste. They say even your digestive tract has brain cells of some sort. Your spine certainly does. It would not really be a life IMO. Your life is in your natural body anything else is not going to feel right.
12-04-2019, 08:32 PM
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Re: Conundrum 2 - What Makes Me Me?
It's never going to happen to me or anyone else on this forum, but it is fun to speculate and fantasise about it.I know there have been wonderful things done with transplanting other people's bits of bodies onto other living bodies, but in each case I think the brain must need training or re-training/learning to be able to use the transplant (except for parts like valve, and bits of organs and body that are automonous (i.e. will work on their own without our knowing our brain is telling them to).
Would the brain of the partner work and behave in the same way it did in the old body if it were transplanted onto a new body? Would the brain be able to adapt sufficiently and in a reasonable amount of time and would the body work as well for it's new brain?
It would be an awful shock and wouldn't work IMO unless huge adaptation was proved to be possible - and I am not sure that it would be possible.
I understand, and have come to be sure, that the "essence" and "spirit" of what we are, together with what I think of as our psyche does reside in our brains, but that brain allows us to feel, hear, see, smell, etc., etc. relies and interprets things on the reactions of our body which it knows so well. Both brain and body develop and grow up together from before birth(obviously). Can they really ever be separated out from each other and survive adequately with another partner/environment. Another person's body would need a heck of a long time to adapt to a new brain and vice versa (I doubt if both brain and body ever could).
I wonder if Steven Hawkin ever thought about such things in relation to himself and his physical frailty. I would think he would not take the risk of making such a huge compromise.
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