When a human beings behavioral control system becomes seriously impaired, it can turn out that the best hermeneucal story we can tell about that individual says that there is more than one character inhabiting that body. This is quite possible in the view of the self that I've been presenting. It does not require any met fancy metaphysical miracles. In most people, this idea of one's continuous self unified self makes total sense. But if certain things start happening, multiple personality disorder or split brain under certain very controlled conditions, that might not be the best story. And at that point, maybe a different story is better, or maybe it's just indeterminate.
David and Tamler discuss famous 'split brain' experiments pioneered by Roger Sperry and Michael Gazzaniga. What happens when you cut off the main line of communication between the left and right hemispheres of our brain? Why under certain conditions do the the left and right brains seem like they have different abilities and desires? What does this tell us about the ‘self’? Do we have two consciousnesses, but only that can speak? Does the left brain bully the right brain? Are we all just a bundle of different consciousnesses with their own agendas? Thanks to our Patreon supporters for suggesting and voting for this fascinating topic!
Plus, physicists may be able to determine whether we’re living in a computer simulation – but is it too dangerous to try to find out?
Sponsored By:
Support Very Bad Wizards
Links: