The Case of the Man with No Brain: Where does Consciousness Really Come From?

Not my title. This is from Unknown Country (other sources can also be found below)

Consciousness.. where does it come from?????



It is widely accepted in the scientific community that what we refer to as "consciousness", is..

generated solely by electro-chemical processes in the brain, a fortunate byproduct of billions of neurons recording and processing sensory information as it comes in.

A rare medical condition from a case back in 2007 brings up some questions. Check this out:

In 2007, a 44-year-old civil servant in France was admitted to a medical clinic due to weakness that he was experiencing in his left leg. The doctors performed a CT scan of his brain, suspecting a neurological cause, especially considering that the patient had a similar problem with his leg when he was fourteen, due to the need for the adjustment of a ventriculoatrial shunt that had been installed in his cranium when he was six months old.

The results of the CT scan shocked the doctors: this man's cranium was almost an entirely hollow cavity. What was there was a very thin cortical mantle, basically what was left of the brain itself, lining the interior of his skull. This was due to a massive enlargement of the ventricular system, a cluster of four cavities in the center of the brain that produce the cerebrospinal fluid that cushions our brain and spinal cord.

Caption:
Massive ventricular enlargement, in a patient with normal social functioning
(A) CT; (B, C) T1-weighted MRI, with gadolinium contrast; (D) T2-weighted MRI. LV=lateral ventricle. III=third ventricle. IV=fourth ventricle. Arrow=Magendie's foramen. The posterior fossa cyst is outlined in (D).

Photo from The Lancet article, "Brain of a white-collar worker", see link at bottom of thread

Unknown Country Source: www.unknowncountry.com...



IFL Science article on man missing most of his brain: www.iflscience.com...

Original published report of this medical case from 2007: http:// www. thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736 (07)61127-1/fulltext
Take out the spaces from TheLancet URL

Article describing a 'ventriculoatrial shunt' emedicine.medscape.com...

To me, this isn't much of a surprise - I think about animals that don't have brains and it would appear that they are conscious. But what do you think ATS? Where do we think consciousness comes from?

a reply to: FamCore

I heard once that the consciousness resides in the EM field generated by the brain which I believe they said physically that's about an inch above the brain itself.

Outside the body.

a reply to: FamCore

This happened from a young age over a long period of time. The brain is amazing at adapting, especially when so young where neuroplasticity is at its peak. Had you just carved out most of his brain, you would not get the same result. It's also important to note that he has an IQ of 75, which is 5 points off being mentally retarded.

There is nothing here that is not explained with our current understanding of neuroscience so no, it doesn't "challenge" our understanding of consciousness.

a reply to: Urantia1111

that would make a lot of sense to me.

However, what does that mean for these animals, which don't have a brain at all? Are they not conscious?

the sea lily, sea stars, jellyfish, coral, sea cucumbers, sea sponges, sea urchin, sea anemone, sea squirts, and Portuguese man-o-war

a reply to: FamCore
I've read about other cases similar to this, but they lacked evidence I could peruse. It's good to see a case that confirms this happens, even if rare. I do think there is much more to consciousness than what we currently understand as such. S&F.

a reply to: GetHyped

So do jellyfish and sea stars not have consciousness then?

These creatures still have a nervous system that performs the functions that they do possess.

a reply to: FamCore

a reply to: Woodcarver

thanks for your comment!

a reply to: FamCore

Doesn't it depend on the definition of consciousness ?

Are Jellyfish aware that they are Jellyfish and actually process data they receive ?

Or are they just reacting to stimuli, much like anything dead can still "twitch" despite being officially dead ?

a reply to: Urantia1111

Remember Buddha loves you and Jesus saves. Why were they all seeking to become "spirit"? What if speaking with "spirits" is little more than being able to interact with EM fields? If souls and spirits are infact EM, at least partialy, in nature.

what so this man had literally no brain? was he like in a vegetable state or fully walking/talking?

a reply to: dreamlotus1111

From the article, "This individual, despite having what would otherwise have been a fatal neurological condition, carried on a normal life, with a wife, two children, and a regular job."

Wow! Wasn't aware you could function with just "brain lining"

-Alee

I believe that consciousness comes from the soul and the brain is only the communication device between the body and the soul (much like a smartphone doesn't hold all of the internet, it just allows access to it).

Dive into the subject of "slime mold". It is a collection of single-celled organisms with no brain, nervous system, etc. but it can move around objects, solve mazes, and has memory! There is no scientific explanation for slime mold, the only answer for it's abilities is metaphysical.

a reply to: NerdGoddess

I had no clue either! The man has a family, kids, a job as a civil servant... he's probably even smarter than most American voters

a reply to: Discotech

Here is an interesting link that suggests jellyfish do have some awareness of their world, enough to attempt to navigate to food rich areas rather than just float around.

www.natureworldnews.com... /20150123/surprisingly-clever-jellyfish-dont-drift.htm

a reply to: eeyipes

www.natureworldnews.com...

thanks for sharing this!

If "spirit" were electromagnetic we would be able to identify it and interact with it. Which would make it a physical/material issue.

a reply to: thesungod

The description is incorrect - he still had a certain amount of cortical material and obviously a reptilian/brainstem function since he was breathing and reproducing.

That said, even tiny ants are 'conscious' - ever block one's path and see how they avoid you? They also have a strong self-preservation instinct, in group and individually. For something with a limited amount of neurons or nervous system, they sure are immediately adaptable.

a reply to: FamCore

I had caught this on the CBC the other day ..things that make you go mmmmm

When a 44-year-old man from France started experiencing weakness in his leg, he went to the hospital. That's when doctors told him he was missing most of his brain. The man's skull was full of liquid, with just a thin layer of brain tissue left. The condition is known as hydrocephalus. "It is so stunning a case of the brain's ability to adapt." - Cognitive psychologist Axel Cleeremans "He was living a normal life. He has a family. He works. His IQ was tested at the time of his complaint. This came out to be 84, which is slightly below the normal range … So, this person is not bright — but perfectly, socially apt," explains Axel Cleeremans. Cleeremans is a cognitive psychologist at the Université Libre in Brussels. When he learned about the case, which was first described in The Lancet in 2007, he saw a medical miracle — but also a major challenge to theories about consciousness.

www.cbc.ca... .3679125