Re:Under anesthesia, where do our minds go?
by jillesvangurp on Wednesday July 27, 2022 @01:06PM
(#32253126)
It's a sensitive topic for a lot of people (mainly because it contradicts world views they might have) but I don't think you are wrong. Consciousness, in so far it is definable at all, seems just an emergent property of our brain.
We're pretty sure it resides in our brain and not for example your toes or other parts of your body since there are plenty of nasty accidents where people lose various parts of their body; or receive replacements for certain things without that really changing who they are or how they think. Also, doctors mess with it intentionally once in a while which definitely has all sorts of effects.
As for anesthesia, that's just using chemicals to knock you out. I once had a mild anesthesia that messed with my short term memory while some unpleasant procedure was taking place. When I asked them when they were starting they informed me it was already done. I have no memory of the whole thing and was apparently "conscious" throughout. Great stuff; would have that again if the need arises.
So, the medically correct answer is of course that a deep coma is virtually indistinguishable from being dead in the sense that there is not a lot going on in terms of brain activity. That kind of is the point of inducing such a level of unconsciousness. It frees up the doctors to mess with out bodies without creating a lot of psychological trauma that excruciating pain might otherwise cause.
We're pretty sure it resides in our brain and not for example your toes or other parts of your body since there are plenty of nasty accidents where people lose various parts of their body; or receive replacements for certain things without that really changing who they are or how they think. Also, doctors mess with it intentionally once in a while which definitely has all sorts of effects.
As for anesthesia, that's just using chemicals to knock you out. I once had a mild anesthesia that messed with my short term memory while some unpleasant procedure was taking place. When I asked them when they were starting they informed me it was already done. I have no memory of the whole thing and was apparently "conscious" throughout. Great stuff; would have that again if the need arises.
So, the medically correct answer is of course that a deep coma is virtually indistinguishable from being dead in the sense that there is not a lot going on in terms of brain activity. That kind of is the point of inducing such a level of unconsciousness. It frees up the doctors to mess with out bodies without creating a lot of psychological trauma that excruciating pain might otherwise cause.