• Quick note - the problem with Youtube videos not embedding on the forum appears to have been fixed, thanks to ZiprHead. If you do still see problems let me know.

Split brain does not lead to split consciousness

Lukas1986

Critical Thinker
L
Joined
Dec 15, 2012
Messages
302
Here is a new study which claims this and I would like to know what you think:

Split brain does not lead to split consciousness
Date:
January 25, 2017
Source:
Universiteit van Amsterdam (UVA)
Summary:
A new research study contradicts the established view that so-called split-brain patients have a split consciousness. Instead, the researchers behind the study have found strong evidence showing that despite being characterized by little to no communication between the right and left brain hemispheres, split brain does not cause two independent conscious perceivers in one brain.
Click to expand...

Taken from: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170125093823.htm

The study is already used by believers that it destroys the the motion that split-brain patients have split consciousness: http://www.uncommondescent.com/intelligent-design/split-brain-does-not-lead-to-split-consciousness/

However the study itself has also some problems why I am sceptical and this is what I found without reading the full study so far:

1. The study uses only TWO patients which is little:

For their study, Pinto and his fellow researchers conducted a series of tests on two patients who had undergone a full callosotomy.
Click to expand...

Taken from: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170125093823.htm

2. The study was not replicated yet:

In the coming period, Pinto plans to conduct research on more split-brain patients to see whether his findings can be replicated.
Click to expand...

Taken from: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170125093823.htm

I have not read so far the whole study but from this short story I am very careful to claim that this little study disproves the split-brain consciousness.
This is however what I found and I would like to know what you think.
 
Found the answer a skeptic has looked on the paper and even the authors provide a non-paranormal or non-quantum consciousness explanation:

So are we forced to hypothesize some kind of spooky “non-local” consciousness field which can somehow bridge the gap between the left and right hemispheres…? Perhaps we don’t have to go that far. Pinto et al. note that both of their patients had the split brain surgery decades ago and that in theory it is possible that “patients somehow develop mechanisms or even structural connections to re-integrate information across the hemispheres” over time.
Click to expand...

Taken from: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/neuroskeptic/2017/01/31/split-brain-consciousness/#.WJCpm47QfIU

More info here about the whole study: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/neuroskeptic/2017/01/31/split-brain-consciousness/#.WJCpm47QfIU
 
Lukas1986 said:
Here is a new study which claims this and I would like to know what you think:



Taken from: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170125093823.htm

The study is already used by believers that it destroys the the motion that split-brain patients have split consciousness: http://www.uncommondescent.com/intelligent-design/split-brain-does-not-lead-to-split-consciousness/

However the study itself has also some problems why I am sceptical and this is what I found without reading the full study so far:

1. The study uses only TWO patients which is little:



Taken from: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170125093823.htm

2. The study was not replicated yet:



Taken from: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170125093823.htm

I have not read so far the whole study but from this short story I am very careful to claim that this little study disproves the split-brain consciousness.
This is however what I found and I would like to know what you think.
Click to expand...

Considering that even with a 'split brain' the whole limbic system and midbrain are still connected I think the 'split consciousness' is a specious unsubtantiated assertion to begin with.
:)
 
Lukas1986 said:
Found the answer a skeptic has looked on the paper and even the authors provide a non-paranormal or non-quantum consciousness explanation:



Taken from: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/neuroskeptic/2017/01/31/split-brain-consciousness/#.WJCpm47QfIU

More info here about the whole study: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/neuroskeptic/2017/01/31/split-brain-consciousness/#.WJCpm47QfIU
Click to expand...

That is silly.
:D

The removal or destruction of the corpus callosum does not do anything to parts of midbrain, cerebellum or limbic system, they communicate with both hemispheres.
 
Argumemnon said:
"Little to no communication"? Is it little, or no?
Click to expand...

Even with a full callosotomy there can be peripheral communication.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus_callosotomy

So it is not as if both side were "completely" isolated.

ETA: I think wiki hotlink for education are OK ?

Gray715.png


See anterior commisure among other point where the communication can go on. Also mid brain as David said.
 
Last edited:
Is there any contradictory evidence of a split consciousness that would lead one to assume that a split brain leads to it?

I must say a split consciousness sounds kind of like fun, especially if you enjoy arguing. I had a major brain-stem-squashing accident a few years ago that neurologists suggested included a bit of separation between the halves. My body is split pretty neatly in half, but all I got out of it other than skewed vision, paresthesia and an inability to remember names was a general inability to multitask. I feel cheated that I didn't get a spare consciousness out of it too!
 
bruto said:
Is there any contradictory evidence of a split consciousness that would lead one to assume that a split brain leads to it?

I must say a split consciousness sounds kind of like fun, especially if you enjoy arguing. I had a major brain-stem-squashing accident a few years ago that neurologists suggested included a bit of separation between the halves. My body is split pretty neatly in half, but all I got out of it other than skewed vision, paresthesia and an inability to remember names was a general inability to multitask. I feel cheated that I didn't get a spare consciousness out of it too!
Click to expand...

VS Ramachandran did some research into it, and had an example of a guy who indicated one side of his believed in god, and the other side didn't.
 
Lukas1986 said:
The study is already used by believers that it destroys the the motion that split-brain patients have split consciousness:
Click to expand...
The believers are the already ignorant intelligent design proponents at the linked web site so we can discount their opinions. Some actual science there though.

The original work on "split brain" patients was by Sperry and Gazzaniga in the 1960's - see a description at Sperry and Gazzaniga: The Split Brain Study

And on Wiki: Split-brain There are more subjects in those studies (4 by the time of a 1967 article in Scientific American). At the time the surgery was rare - only 10 done by 1967.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom