3 ms·

Is symmetry between left and right brain what allows consciousness to exist?

• SketchySeaBeast 3y ago
  Given that the left and right brain aren't exactly symmetrical and will receive and process different inputs that seems like a no.
  • eimrine 3y ago
    If some experimentator will destroy a half of his brain in such a way to not harm anything else - does he have a chance to keep being consciouness? That experiment kind of answers the question.
    • SketchySeaBeast 3y ago
      https://www.uclahealth.org/medical-services/pediatric-neurosurgery/conditions-treatment/pediatric-epilepsy-surgery/epilepsy-treatment/hemispherectomy https://www.uclahealth.org/medical-services/pediatric-neuros... It's literally a medical procedure that children (or adults[1]) with extreme seizures or epilepsy undergo so that they can live more normal lives. [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7281896/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7281896/
• eimrine 3y ago
  In my opinion, one is between "this needs to be remembered, I will need this later" and "I have already remembered this, immediately recover!".
• jfengel 3y ago
  Clearly not, since you can have consciousness with only half a brain. Even a full hemispherectomy doesn't make you not conscious. In fact, there may be little change to the personality or cognition at all. The symmetry between right and left brain doesn't really correspond to the types of symmetries they're talking about in the article. They're usually expressed as "The laws of physics are independent of X; you can substitute X with Y and the laws work the same." There isn't any kind of substitution here, so no place to apply the symmetry.