"Richard S. Norman" wrote:
<snip>
> > Anyway, he told me that human consciousness resides in both hemispheres
> >of the brain. When you sleep, the consciousness drifts from one part to
> >another, often crossing the bridge connecting the two hemispheres of the
> >brain. His suggestion was to create an artificial brain (maybe just a
> >dormant cloned copy), manufacture some sort of "bridge" between the two
> >brains, and destroy the original brain while the subject sleeps. The end
> >result is intended to be that the consciousness moves from the original
> >brain into the cloned brain, thereby continuing its existence without itself
> >being copied and destroyed.
<snip>
> >- Doug -
> >
> You mention that your "friend wasn't exactly an expert in
> neuroscience." You are quite right.
<snip>
Reminds me of that old joke: "I have George Washington's
ax. I've replaced the head, and I had to replace the handle
too, but it takes up the same space.".
Despite what we learn from Star Trek shows, consciousness
isn't something that lives within the brain as a creature
lives in a cave, rather it's a function of the brain.
By the way (Richard), your friend's confusion may stem from
marine mammal neurology. Indeed, the hemispheres of their
brains do alternate consciousness as they sleep, but
consciousness isn't a "thing" that moves from one hemisphere
to the other; rather one side simply wakes up as the other
side goes to sleep. This is a handy way of keeping from drowning.
BradHAWK