4 ms·

Yup! Some interesting demonstrations of this are in split-brain experiments - see https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/split.html https://faculty.washington.e

Yup! Some interesting demonstrations of this are in split-brain experiments - see https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/split.html https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/split.html However, when it comes to peripherals like heart and lung, the distribution goes beyond just the brain - the heart, for example, has a built-in pacemaker called the sino-atrial node [1], which produces a periodic signal with high precision; the brain just sends it signals to control the period of its oscillations. Similarly, a number of reflexes which involve responses to physical danger (withdrawal from burns, knee-tapping) aren't actually handled by the brain; the spinal cord sends the reflex commands as soon as the sensory information hits it, to avoid the round trip all the way to the brain. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinoatrial_node https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinoatrial_node

heavenlyblue 7y ago
>> withdrawal from burns Not sure that’s that true though (I’ve heard about thus before). I can definitely consciously burn myself. On the other hand I can’t stop myself from moving my foot when it’s tapped.
- mauvehaus 7y ago
  >> Not sure that’s that true though (I’ve heard about thus before). I can definitely consciously burn myself. That sounds like consciously overriding the reflex[0] withdrawal though, as opposed to accidentally touching something hot, and withdrawing reflexively. Adding anecdata: I've definitely touched something hot and withdrawn my finger/hand/whatever quickly enough to avoid getting burned when I by all rights should have. You know, something hot enough that anything but incidental contact would result in a burn. [0] Reflex is probably not the right word. I can't consciously override the kneecap/kick reflex, for instance.
  - perl4ever 7y ago
    Last time I was tested for the kneecap reflex, nothing happened. The doctor told me to take my hands and hook the fingers of one around the other and pull them against each other, and then the reflex appeared. I don't know what that has to do with consciousness, since I didn't decide to suppress anything.
- fouc 7y ago
  if you weren't expecting to be burned you'd withdraw your hand automatically

heavenlyblue 7y ago

>> withdrawal from burns Not sure that’s that true though (I’ve heard about thus before). I can definitely consciously burn myself. On the other hand I can’t stop myself from moving my foot when it’s tapped.

mauvehaus 7y ago
>> Not sure that’s that true though (I’ve heard about thus before). I can definitely consciously burn myself. That sounds like consciously overriding the reflex[0] withdrawal though, as opposed to accidentally touching something hot, and withdrawing reflexively. Adding anecdata: I've definitely touched something hot and withdrawn my finger/hand/whatever quickly enough to avoid getting burned when I by all rights should have. You know, something hot enough that anything but incidental contact would result in a burn. [0] Reflex is probably not the right word. I can't consciously override the kneecap/kick reflex, for instance.
- perl4ever 7y ago
  Last time I was tested for the kneecap reflex, nothing happened. The doctor told me to take my hands and hook the fingers of one around the other and pull them against each other, and then the reflex appeared. I don't know what that has to do with consciousness, since I didn't decide to suppress anything.
fouc 7y ago
if you weren't expecting to be burned you'd withdraw your hand automatically