Paradox of the Brain Transplant
So let's consider a scenario where a young healthy man called Alan has a brain disease that will eventually prove to be fatal. There is a second man Bob who is older and suddenly dies without damage to the brain.
Imagine that Bobs brain could be stored qithout damage for a period of time. Alan is offered the chance for a brain transplant and due to the circumstances decides it is the only option.
The operation is a success, the Bobs brain has been placed into Alans skull.
Now what happens when Alan wakes up? Who is he?
I'll let you think about this a moment......
Scenario 1:
If Alan wakes up and is still Alan with all his memories and personality then this suggest that a persons awareness or conciousness does not exist in the brain, but is from another source. Could it suggest the existence of a soul?
Scenario 2:
If Alan wakes up and in fact it is Bob, with all of Bobs memories and personality, then we have brought Bob back to life. Which could mean that an extension of someone's conciousness could occur. If the brain could be kept young by the hosts younger body then Bob could live maybe through dozens of bodies.
NOTE I know this is super weird, im not that weird but i made the thought experiment and it did mess my head up.
Scenario 3:
Alans wakes up and is a mix of Alans conciousness and Bobs memories, which is full of its own conumdrums.
So il let you think.
Please comment I'd love to hear what you have to say.
There are quite a lot of medical cases where people have damaged various parts of their bodies. Where other body parts (not the brain) have been damaged, an amputation, a transplant, or a cure, does not alter the awareness of the patient. Sure, he likely won't live like he did, but he still would think, behave, retain memories, like he did. His life would continue that way.
However, where brain death is concerned, I honestly haven't read about a case where the patient regains consciousness, remembers his past, and knows who he is (was). That's not sufficient scientific evidence, but probably sufficient circumstancial evidence to claim that awareness lies in the brain?
The brain, like any other organ, ages with time. I'd hazard a guess that even if brain transplants can keep the owner of the brain alive through various younger bodies, it won't make him immortal. The brain will eventually wear out and die.
Thanks for the valuable comment. I am very curious about the outcome is such a procedure could be successfully achieved.
It's a very strange thing......
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