SPLIT BRAINS -PERSONAL IDENTITY

What does Nagel analyze about split-brains experiments?

Patients sometimes behave as if they have 2 independent conscious centres. However, they still function as a single person.

What does Nagel think determines unity of consciousness?

FUNCTIONAL INTEGRATION, the way information is shared and coordinated across the mind.

What philosophical problem does the split-brains case raise?

Whether personal identity and consciousness can be divided or partially split.

What is the “jewel” in Eagan’s story?

Implanted device that copies psychological pattern and gradually becomes a perfect duplicate of your mind. Once this happens, the biological brains is shut off and the Jewel takes over functioning as “you”

What philosophical issue does Egan’s story explore?

Whether psychological continuity is enough for personal identity and survival. It challenges that a perfect functional duplicates must be the same person as the original

What is Olson’s core metaphysical view called?

Animalism; we are biological organisms, not minds or psychological patterns

What does Olson’s view imply about mind uploading?

Animalism follows the idea that uploading does not preserve identity but creates a new being

What is Olson’s position about psychological continuity as the basis of identity?

He rejects it because he states that psychological states can be duplicated but a single biological person cannot split or be copied.

What does Olson argue about trans humanistic claims of immortality?

If the organisms dies, you die, even if an upload continues to behave like you.

What is the branching problem?

If uploading and replication are both possible, then there is a difference between uploading and replication. But there is not difference between uploading and replication, therefore uploading is not survivable.