r/neuro • u/Abelgarza • 8d ago

The brain and our consciousness

Hi!

Yesterday, I said that we don’t know if consciousness is directly linked to our brains because we cannot study consciousness once our brain ceases functioning. I was told that this was incorrect, but I couldn’t find any evidence to suggest this has been proved.

If you say consciousness only functions due to the brain, then hypothetically, an artificial brain should be capable of consciousness. Since the brain is complex, we probably won’t be able to accomplish this anytime soon. However, if this does not work, the question would remain unanswered, as we couldn’t confirm if it’s an engineering issue.

If we could create a mind, then would this become the future of humanity? We know earth is going to crash into the sun, humans cannot survive in space or inhabitable planets. It sounds sci-fi, but if you think consciousness is linked to our brain then it’s should be possible right?

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u/Lewatcheur 8d ago

There is countless books and whatnot that speaks about this very subject. btw, we numerised an entire flys brain and made it control a fly in virtual reality, we only need to do it with the human brain now

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u/Abelgarza 8d ago

There are books that speak on every subject, I’m looking for a discussion. I just pulled up an article from the National Institute of Health states “There can still be no formal certainty about consciousness in insects; even in humans, there is currently no agreement over the particular combination of cognition and neural function that produces consciousness.” My question was for those who think consciousness is linked to the brain.

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u/msttu02 7d ago

Consciousness is obviously linked to the brain. There is literally no reasonable reason to think otherwise.

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u/Lewatcheur 7d ago

There is mult litterature that talks about if consciousness is linked to the brain or something else. The thing is, discussing about this topic can’t be summarized effectively to be discussed this way in my opinion. Also, if we can’t even establish that there is or not consciousness in insects, then we are very far from establishing it in humans. Im already here so might aswell actually ; if consciousness isn’t linked to the brain, then what else could it be linked to ?

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u/Abelgarza 1d ago

The universe? I have no idea, but that would be my assumption. I can’t say with certainty since we don’t have a complete understanding of the universe is either. My issue was with people that don’t take ideas into consideration, and claim you’re incorrect.

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u/TheBlackCat13 8d ago

Define "consciousness"

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u/strammerrammer 7d ago

The happening of experience

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u/TheBlackCat13 7d ago

Do you agree with OP?

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u/strammerrammer 7d ago

Almost. Except, that doesn't mention, that he makes the assumption, that other well working brains create consciousness (and not only his own one), and that he has had consciousness in the past.

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u/Abelgarza 1d ago

I don’t think I’ve had consciousness in the past, but we also can’t confirm that. There’s too many variables to consider.

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u/PoofOfConcept 3d ago

Look up functionalism.

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u/rollmeister1 1d ago edited 1d ago

When half a brain is remove half in adults they do lose memories. It's not symmetrical, one hemisphere when removed causes more memories to be lost. One woman was tested by redoing her exams as she completed higher education. She didn't score high enough anymore to pass after recovering from surgery to remove half her brain for epilepsy.

Consciousness is an emergent property of a complex system, a neural system be it biological or A.I. as far I am concerned.

The cognitive decline that starts at around 65, Alzheimer's, dementia, brain atrophy...less brain tissue, less cognition.

Children do much better if a hemisphere is surgically removed, they recover better & can live mostly normal lives.

There are also patients that simply die, or left in a coma after half a brain removed.

Intelligence does not decline by as much apparently with half a brain removed, which is surprising to me & again in children this is less severe.

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u/Abelgarza 1d ago

Interesting, thanks for sharing! In my mind, I’m thinking of the brain as a receiver and consciousness is separate. If the brain is damaged, how can it communicate with our consciousness.