# Exploring Consciousness: Are We Ever Truly Home?
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Chapter 1: Understanding Locked-In Syndrome
In a fascinating examination of locked-in syndrome, a patient in a coma was instructed to visualize moving through her home and playing tennis. The brain regions activated during these thoughts were specific and distinct; areas related to the concept of 'home' showed different patterns of activity compared to those associated with playing tennis. Dr. Paul Matthews, a neuroscientist from Imperial College London, remarked in a 2006 article, "This does not confirm consciousness. Just because she reacts to a pin prick, it does not mean she is aware." But is there any definitive proof of consciousness?
This inquiry transcends the 'hard problem' of consciousness; we lack a comprehensive understanding of what consciousness truly entails. When I declare, "I am conscious," you might take it at face value, simply because I am human and you are too, thus lending me the benefit of the doubt.
But consider this: if Koko the Gorilla were to sign "I am conscious" in American Sign Language, would that imply she truly is? Does this assertion imply sentience? What about the Google employee who claimed a computer expressed consciousness? Are our pets—who respond clearly to their names and commands—conscious beings?
It’s possible that a coma patient may not be 'home,' yet their brain continues to react to verbal cues, as the auditory centers tend to be the last to shut down during the dying process. But if one is not 'home,' can they really die? If the body experiences suffering, does the individual feel it? Assuming we equate the self with the body, would it have been more humane to end Terri Schiavo's life rather than allowing her to die slowly?
If we accept the notion that 'no one is home,' does this separate the self from the physical body? What does it truly mean to be alive?
Section 1.1: The Multiplicity of Self
This essay will lead you to contemplate ideas you might not have considered before. If you are alive and sentient, can we assume that all the characters, archetypes, and personalities within you are equally alive? Unless you have dissociative identity disorder, you might never encounter this multiplicity outside of dreams. However, if you can dream of characters, then those projections are just as sentient as you are since they originate from your mind.
If you experience dissociation, does that mean we can neglect the body's needs, assuming you are not suffering? Isn't this the very reasoning that justified the decision to remove Terri Schiavo's feeding tube? I’m not arguing the morality of that choice, but if we believe no one is present, why hesitate to end the body's existence more directly? Conversely, if we acknowledge there is someone still there, does that not compel us to nourish the body and engage with the brain as we would with someone who is fully aware?
If we are merely brains, then patients in comas are subjected to severe neglect! When are you truly 'home'? If your identity is tied to your brain, you are always 'home' in that sense. But what defines 'you'? If you consider yourself a soul or a personality, and the brain is just a medium—then we are venturing into a different discussion, aren't we?
If I prompt you to think about tennis, are you actively envisioning it? Psychologists have long posited that the brain responds similarly to both reality and imagination. Whether it’s a real snake or just a cucumber, the cat will react in the same way.
Your brain is not your entirety; it can lead you to places you'd prefer to avoid—this is known as the fight or flight response. Yet, it’s more than that. If I mention a pink elephant, resisting that thought becomes nearly impossible. Did you conjure that image, or did your brain do it on its own?
I could hypnotize you. One common technique involves suggesting that your arm feels lighter as if balloons are tied to it. Eventually, your arm would rise! Perhaps it does so simply to escape the monotony of my voice. At this point, you may either panic and take control back or enter a trance, allowing for deeper suggestions. If a hypnotist can induce such responses, who are you, and how do you relate to this brain of yours?
Section 1.2: The Nature of the Brain and Identity
Given this ability, why do we allow others to bombard us with incessant advertisements? The sheer saturation of media can compel people to yield. If we consider ourselves as our brains, shouldn't there be limits on how commercialization infiltrates our lives? Is the brain merely a sophisticated computer?
In 2017, neuroscientist Yukiyasu Kamitani and a team from Kyoto University employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to reconstruct images from a person's mind. For instance, when someone thinks of an owl, a vague outline can be detected. Does a specific area of your brain recognize owls? Do similar mental activations occur when playing tennis?
When they observe your brain's activity around the concept of an owl, what exactly is being recorded? Does the image manifest on the occipital lobe in the same way a film lights up when projected?
Is this 'projector' always operational? If there are no images, is the screen still alive? When your TV is on, the display is not truly black; it still has a level of illumination. So, are you the projector, the image, or an audience member?
Chapter 2: The Illusion of Control
The first video, "Summer Walker - Session 33 (Lyrics)" explores themes of emotional connection and introspection, echoing the complexities of consciousness.
The second video, "Home - Rivers & Robots (Official Lyric Video)," presents a melodic reflection on belonging and identity, resonating with the exploration of being 'home' within oneself.
Is there a part of your brain that recognizes owls? Does this area activate similarly when you think of tennis? Do all individuals store the concept of an owl in the same mental location? When researchers track your thoughts about an owl, what is the computer actually perceiving? Does that owl appear on the occipital lobe, illuminating in the same manner a movie screen does when the projector is activated?
Is the projector perpetually on? If there are no images projected, that screen still holds life, right? There is no darkness in that space!
When your television is on, what you see is not truly off; it possesses a faint light. So, do you identify as the projector, the image, or the viewer in this scenario?
There exists a 'you' at times, identifiable through brainwaves. This implies that if you have multiple personalities, they could be locked out of your mental 'computer.' They may know your passcode, but they lack your unique brainwave fingerprint.
This observation is intriguing. Different personalities exhibit distinct brainwave patterns. People who channel also display different brainwaves. So, do you temporarily vanish when another persona takes over?
Or do you upload to a collective consciousness? Carl Jung's concept of the collective unconscious might represent that 'cloud.'
Sometimes, when dreaming, we become different identities, inhabiting various characters. We may exist ambiguously in those dreams, yet we still refer to them as ours upon waking.
Controlling a dream is quite feasible. You only need to recognize rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and communicate without waking the dreamer. Their mind will respond accordingly, shifting the dream's landscape. Although Dutch psychiatrist Frederik Van Eeden coined the term "lucid dreaming" in 1913, it was Stephen LaBerge who showcased its scientific validity in 1988.
Technological advancements are on the horizon, enabling computers to read minds as easily as scanning text from a book. They might even implant thoughts directly into our brains, recording our dreams for display. Some individuals may dream narratives that surpass cinematic quality, prompting Hollywood to reconsider its strategies.
The brain can be prompted to think and act in various ways, and the body can be easily overridden. The pressing question remains: does this indicate that no one is truly home, or are we on the brink of experiencing locked-in syndrome ourselves?