Decisions in a Flash of Light
Following up somewhat on yesterday’s post, here’s an article from today’s Inquirer about brain research in Germany, where scientists are conducting research to see if they can use brain scans to determine a person’s intention to perform a mathematical operation.
In one study, participants were told to decide whether to add or subtract two numbers a few seconds before the numbers were flashed on a screen. In the interim, a computer captured images of their brain waves to predict the subject’s decision – with one pattern suggesting addition, and another subtraction.
What’s not fully clear from this article – and I’m going to see if I can track down more details – is whether or not the patterns were noticeable before the subjects consciously made their decision. It sounds like they did, but I’m not 100 percent sure. If so, it would seem to be an indication that what feels to us in our inner thoughts like we’re “making a decision” is just our phenomenal consciousness getting something of a status report about what our entire organism has already set out to do.
In turn, there’s a potentially important semantic discussion about whether the brain pattern in question is an explanation for the decision, or if it is the decision. (Although even in the latter case, one would presume that there is an explanation for the particular brain pattern in the relationship between the nervous sytem and the environment. That is, I presume all this until the neuroscience experts show up to take me to school.)
About Dave Thomer
Born and raised in Philadelphia. Studied philosophy at Fordham University in the Bronx, where I made many great friends and met my wonderful wife. We moved back to Philadelphia, where I studied philosophy some more and became a teacher. Online and off, I'm looking for ways that we can be better citizens and build stronger communities.