Conscious cadavre?

[Ozzie]

I listened to an interesting radio report mentioning a FMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging study) conducted on a patient who had been in a persistant vegetative state for a year after suffering injury in a car accident. The study found the patient's brain showed activation in the language cortex when presented with sentences, activation in areas of the brain associated with imaging physical activity when asked to imagine playing tennis, and activation in areas of the brain associated with navigation when asked to navigate a familiar context. The researcher(s) concluded the patient was conscious. (I will try to find the source article).

Evidently this person is capable of understanding language in some way despite being diagnosed in a persistent vegetative state.

Do you think the researcher is justified in concluding the patient is conscious? Why or why not?

Does your religious belief influence your reasoning?

What does this evidence suggest about the nature of consciousness?

What does this evidence suggest about the nature of self?

 

[Kungfuzed]

It certainly seems that the person would be consious, or at least subconsious. He should take it a step farther now and try some communication. Just yes or no questions. Think about tennis to answer yes and think about navigation to answer no. Ask some simple questions to test his memory like about his family members. If he gets enough correct answers then he'll really know the patient is consious. Then he could find out if the patient was in pain or suffering, and wether or not he'd like to be euthanized.

I'm not entirely sure yet that the person is entirely consious, probably more like in a dream state. But further testing should help determine how consious the person is.

The brain is the mind. The brain is the self.

 

[sandy whitelinger]

Was he watching the "Survivor" series? If so I'd vote for unconscious.

 

[Ozzie]

Was he watching the "Survivor" series? If so I'd vote for unconscious.

They could have had the decency to ask. :sarcastic

 

[Ozzie]

It certainly seems that the person would be consious, or at least subconsious. He should take it a step farther now and try some communication. Just yes or no questions. Think about tennis to answer yes and think about navigation to answer no. Ask some simple questions to test his memory like about his family members. If he gets enough correct answers then he'll really know the patient is consious. Then he could find out if the patient was in pain or suffering, and wether or not he'd like to be euthanized.

I'm not entirely sure yet that the person is entirely consious, probably more like in a dream state. But further testing should help determine how consious the person is.

The brain is the mind. The brain is the self.

I suppose if we could get a definitive response on a euthanasia option, this would solve the ethical dilemma this evidence presents. But this case argues against euthanasia in cases presenting in vegetative states because consent should be obtained hinging on the possibility that the patient is conscious to some extent. But I dont see how it would be possible to validate response in terms of brain imaging as consent.

 

[evearael]

I suppose if we could get a definitive response on a euthanasia option, this would solve the ethical dilemma this evidence presents. But this case argues against euthanasia in cases presenting in vegetative states because consent should be obtained hinging on the possibility that the patient is conscious to some extent. But I dont see how it would be possible to validate response in terms of brain imaging as consent.

This is why Living Wills are so important... and choosing someone you trust with executing it. This is certainly an interesting case. I do feel the person in question is conscious and I don't feel my religious beliefs impact this at all. I don't have an answer to your queries regarding the nature of self and consciousness.