Philosophical Question....

Staralfur · 12-11-2001, 06:47 PM

I was just talking with someone about a physcology experiment they were doing. They are having to ask children about different hypothetical situations. One of these questions was along the lines of 'If you replace the brain in a human body with the brain, of say, a monkey, what are you left with? A human, a monkey, or a completely new entity?'

Quite an interesting point I think. Anyone got any thoughts?

Aelia Jusa · 12-11-2001, 07:29 PM

Well I guess it depends on what you think makes up a person, like what makes them them, what is their unique essence that if they lost it they wouldn't be them anymore. Is it their brain, their body, something else outside their body, like a soul, or a combination of these.

I don't believe that there is a soul that is independent of the body, I think the brain is everything that makes up a being - it's where you think, you feel, you dream. But I also think that the body makes a difference. Like if my brain was put in the body of someone else, I would feel differently about myself according to what that body was like. Like I'm short, so if my brain was put in a tall person's body I would feel like a tall person, so I would be different to who I am now.

So I think it would be a new entity, mostly whatever the brain was before the switch, but with noticible changes as well.

Tancred · 12-11-2001, 08:24 PM

You must end up with something comletely new. You've killed off both the monkey and the human to make this thing, it can't be either of them.

huma · 12-11-2001, 08:39 PM

You would get a very stupid but very entertaining human.Cmon a monkey in a human body,the laughs would never stop.This experiment has been done succesfully before.I know because I have had to work with the resulting hybrids before.
Sorry,not feeling very scientific today.

Tancred · 12-11-2001, 08:46 PM

quote:
Originally posted by huma:
You would get a very stupid but very entertaining human.Cmon a monkey in a human body,the laughs would never stop.This experiment has been done succesfully before.I know because I have had to work with the resulting hybrids before.
Sorry,not feeling very scientific today.

Hm. This isn't the kind of question to put to a skilled brain surgeon with a radical turn of mind, obviously.

A monkey in a man's body...

Would you get Liam Gallagher?

Scholarcs · 12-12-2001, 12:10 AM

Because I monkey could do different things with a human body, you would have a new thing altogether. The new thing couldnt talk properly, do math etc. but it couldnt swing by its tail like a monkey could either.

LennonCook · 12-12-2001, 04:06 AM

U would have the classical slapstick artist. IE. You would have Rowan Atkinson (sp?). ie.Mr. Bean.
Or possibly u would have Billy Connolly,but he isnt slapstick- hes parody.

12-11-2001, 06:47 PM	#1
Staralfur Baaz Draconian Join Date: April 8, 2001 Location: Nottingham, UK Age: 44 Posts: 786	I was just talking with someone about a physcology experiment they were doing. They are having to ask children about different hypothetical situations. One of these questions was along the lines of 'If you replace the brain in a human body with the brain, of say, a monkey, what are you left with? A human, a monkey, or a completely new entity?' Quite an interesting point I think. Anyone got any thoughts? __________________ We\'ve heard that a million monkeys at a million keyboards could produce the Complete Works of Shakespeare; now, thanks to the Internet, we know this is not true.\"<br />Robert Wilensky <br /><br />\"Why is there only one Monopolies Commission?\" <br />Screaming Lord Sutch<br /><br />If you choke a smurf, what color does it turn?

12-11-2001, 07:29 PM	#2
Aelia Jusa Iron Throne Cult Join Date: August 23, 2001 Location: Brisbane, Australia Age: 42 Posts: 4,867	Well I guess it depends on what you think makes up a person, like what makes them them, what is their unique essence that if they lost it they wouldn't be them anymore. Is it their brain, their body, something else outside their body, like a soul, or a combination of these. I don't believe that there is a soul that is independent of the body, I think the brain is everything that makes up a being - it's where you think, you feel, you dream. But I also think that the body makes a difference. Like if my brain was put in the body of someone else, I would feel differently about myself according to what that body was like. Like I'm short, so if my brain was put in a tall person's body I would feel like a tall person, so I would be different to who I am now. So I think it would be a new entity, mostly whatever the brain was before the switch, but with noticible changes as well. __________________

12-11-2001, 08:24 PM	#3
Tancred White Dragon Join Date: April 1, 2001 Location: UK Age: 43 Posts: 1,893	You must end up with something comletely new. You've killed off both the monkey and the human to make this thing, it can't be either of them. __________________ \"HELP! I\'ve superglued myself to a flaming bowling ball!\"

12-11-2001, 08:39 PM	#4
huma The Magister Join Date: November 9, 2001 Location: solamnia Posts: 139	You would get a very stupid but very entertaining human.Cmon a monkey in a human body,the laughs would never stop.This experiment has been done succesfully before.I know because I have had to work with the resulting hybrids before. Sorry,not feeling very scientific today. __________________ [IMG]ubb/noncgi/smiles/knightmov.gif[/IMG]<br />----------------------------------<br /><br />Insert witty comment here

12-11-2001, 08:46 PM	#5
Tancred White Dragon Join Date: April 1, 2001 Location: UK Age: 43 Posts: 1,893	quote: Originally posted by huma: You would get a very stupid but very entertaining human.Cmon a monkey in a human body,the laughs would never stop.This experiment has been done succesfully before.I know because I have had to work with the resulting hybrids before. Sorry,not feeling very scientific today. Hm. This isn't the kind of question to put to a skilled brain surgeon with a radical turn of mind, obviously. A monkey in a man's body... Would you get Liam Gallagher? __________________ \"HELP! I\'ve superglued myself to a flaming bowling ball!\"

12-12-2001, 12:10 AM	#6
Scholarcs Red Dragon Join Date: December 5, 2001 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Age: 38 Posts: 1,557	Because I monkey could do different things with a human body, you would have a new thing altogether. The new thing couldnt talk properly, do math etc. but it couldnt swing by its tail like a monkey could either. __________________ <br />\"A child of five would understand this. Send someone to fetch a child of five\" - Groucho Marx<br />Member of the ORT Clan. <br />\"Some birds are not meant to be caged because their feathers are too bright\"<br />Ma bouche sera la bouche des malheurs qui n\'ont point de bouche, ma voix, la liberté de celles qui s\'affaissent au cachot du désespoir. - Aimé Césaire<br />La plus perdue de toutes les journées est celle où l\'on n\'a pas ri. - Sébastien Roch Nicolas

12-12-2001, 04:06 AM	#7
LennonCook Jack Burton Join Date: November 10, 2001 Location: Bathurst & Orange, in constant flux Age: 37 Posts: 5,452	U would have the classical slapstick artist. IE. You would have Rowan Atkinson (sp?). ie.Mr. Bean. Or possibly u would have Billy Connolly,but he isnt slapstick- hes parody.

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