Alien Hand Syndrome sees woman attacked by her own hand

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Interesting article. Cut the small bundle of fibres joining each half of the brain (the corpus collosum) and one person becomes two people... with two independent streams of consciousness, two independent sets of thoughts, different personalities, different knowledge and skills.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12225163

I first read about this many years ago and find it fascinating, not least for its implications as to what defines an individual person. It also further pushes the concept of a "soul" further into the realms of make-believe and superstition.

Thought provoking story, it could also explain multiple personality disorder. If that couldhappen with a hand or foot, just imagine what would happen if the unused 80-90% of our brain was activated, that would be an experience to witness.

...isn't that a myth?

I figured this would be featured on the Onion upon reading the title.

'Soul' and 'personality' are not synonymous concepts. If the soul is the essence of a consciousness that participates in corporeal life at will, by extension into the physical universe, in multiple incarnation (not necessarily 'reincarnation' but 'multi incarnation), personalities would be as varied as the physical vehicles.

Neurology would only be a specific lens, it might alter the quality of the light, but would never affect the source. Personality is only a mask for the duration of the party, you don't wear it home. Anyone who thinks their individual ego is eternal IS participating in superstition. Wishful thinking borne out of fear.

Interesting. I wonder if the reason the 'alien' hand is so 'unruly' is because it's controlled by the side that is left with no language. IOW, that the person 'in' that half of the brain can't communicate via language, so they're trying to say, "hey! I'm here! Why can't anybody understand me? WTH us going on? Fine, I'll snub out that cigarette you just lit, and grab that other hand when it's trying to write."

Fair enough, but are you postulating consciousness itself as being eternal?

'separate consciousness' is an overstatement.. this shows that different halves of the brain control different sections of personality, and when they are not able to communicate with one another, the human is able to perform the same tasks but must find a new physical way to override the severed nervous connection- like using a different hand to solve a puzzle.



This suggests that one with a severed corpus collosum could override the segment by learning what the different sides of the brain do and taking advantage of that fact.

A lesson we could all use a little edification on The halves of the brain have unique capabilities but severing them does not necessarily make multiple personalities.