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There was that 2007 case of the French man missing 90% of his brain and still quite functional: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-thursday-edi

There was that 2007 case of the French man missing 90% of his brain and still quite functional: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-thursday-edition-1.3679117/scientists-research-man-missing-90-of-his-brain-who-leads-a-normal-life-1.3679125 https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-thursday-...

ganzuul 2y ago
So 90% percent of our brains are space capacity for the paper clip maximizers out there.
- a-french-anon 2y ago
  Or "normal life" is the intellectual equivalent of coasting as far as challenge goes.
xvector 2y ago
This is really interesting from the perspective of gradual replacement/mind uploading: what is the absolute minimum portion of the brain that we would have to target? Understanding this could probably make the problem easier by some factor (but not "easy" in any sense.)
- sigmoid10 2y ago
  Literally the plot of Westworld season 2.
- ben_w 2y ago
  While that's an interesting question… I was going to write "I don't think this specifically is where we need to look", but then I remembered there's two different reasons for mind uploading. If you want the capabilities and don't care either way about personhood of the uploads, this is exactly what you need. If you do care about the personhood of the uploads, regardless of if you want them to have it (immortality) or not have it (a competent workforce that doesn't need good conditions), we have yet to even figure out in a rigorous testable sense what 'personhood' really means — which is why we're still arguing about the ethics of abortion and meat.
- spiritplumber 2y ago
  https://www.badspacecomics.com/post/dementia-ward https://www.badspacecomics.com/post/dementia-ward Obligatory
stavros 2y ago
Functional yes, but an IQ of 84 isn't "slightly below the normal range", it's the 14th percentile. Not to say that it's not an achievement with just 10% of a brain, but he wasn't an average intelligence person, he likely struggles with a lot of things.
compressedgas 2y ago
It wasn't missing. It was squished by untreated hydrocephalus.

ganzuul 2y ago

So 90% percent of our brains are space capacity for the paper clip maximizers out there.

a-french-anon 2y ago
Or "normal life" is the intellectual equivalent of coasting as far as challenge goes.

xvector 2y ago

This is really interesting from the perspective of gradual replacement/mind uploading: what is the absolute minimum portion of the brain that we would have to target? Understanding this could probably make the problem easier by some factor (but not "easy" in any sense.)

sigmoid10 2y ago
Literally the plot of Westworld season 2.
ben_w 2y ago
While that's an interesting question… I was going to write "I don't think this specifically is where we need to look", but then I remembered there's two different reasons for mind uploading. If you want the capabilities and don't care either way about personhood of the uploads, this is exactly what you need. If you do care about the personhood of the uploads, regardless of if you want them to have it (immortality) or not have it (a competent workforce that doesn't need good conditions), we have yet to even figure out in a rigorous testable sense what 'personhood' really means — which is why we're still arguing about the ethics of abortion and meat.
spiritplumber 2y ago
https://www.badspacecomics.com/post/dementia-ward https://www.badspacecomics.com/post/dementia-ward Obligatory

stavros 2y ago

Functional yes, but an IQ of 84 isn't "slightly below the normal range", it's the 14th percentile. Not to say that it's not an achievement with just 10% of a brain, but he wasn't an average intelligence person, he likely struggles with a lot of things.

compressedgas 2y ago

It wasn't missing. It was squished by untreated hydrocephalus.