h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I heard something very briefly on a news bulletin about how someone has discovered there are particular types of brain cells responsible self awareness and conciousness. Does anybody know any more about this?

You mean the ones that get affected by alchohol?

I believe they're all affected by alcohol...@

Losing your balance after a few bevvies is one thing, but believing you are a kung-fu expert and the worlds best singer is something else

Oh boy, are you stepping into a great big muddy puddle here! Philosophers have been arguing for centuries trying to come up with a meaningful definition of consciousness and without wishing to sink quickly out of my depth in the whole mind/brain split fallacy, I'm fascinated by but sceptical of the news bulletin you mention. There are certainly bits of the brain which if damaged destroy bits of mental perception but how could you ever prove that removing a certain group of cells, removed the self awareness from the experamental subject. If you can ask and get an answer then he must still be self aware..... if you ask but get no answer how could you prove the subject no longer possessed consciousness of his essential self.
Can you remember any more of the bulletin?
MC

I see some B movies coming on...

Thank God.@

More about these brain cells linked to conciousness (and I don't mean all of them, or the pickled ones): apparently we have loads, apes have nearly as many, dolphins a few less and dogs have a smattering. I also recall that if they were removed by surgery or accident (I seem to remember suumint' about epilectics even more vaguely than the rest of it) then it sent the patient completely barmy. Cummon, someone must know what I'm wittering on about...

I wish I did, that's pretty interesting.