Naked Science Forum

On the Lighter Side => New Theories => Topic started by: SpaceShouldBeMilitarized on 13/11/2010 03:50:35

Title: Remove the central nervous system
Post by: SpaceShouldBeMilitarized on 13/11/2010 03:50:35

If we surgically remove the central nervous system, we would not have problems such as anxiety, anger, addiction, murder and wars.   

Title: Remove the central nervous system
Post by: rosy on 13/11/2010 19:54:06

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If we surgically remove the central nervous system, we would not have problems such as anxiety, anger, addiction, murder and wars.

This is true. Or that pesky consciousness you hear so much about.

Title: Remove the central nervous system
Post by: Bored chemist on 13/11/2010 21:39:57

Or, indeed that dreadful sexually transmitted disease called life.

Title: Remove the central nervous system
Post by: rosy on 13/11/2010 23:18:16

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Or, indeed that dreadful sexually transmitted disease called life.

We-ell, I thought that, but in theory with sufficient other interventions you could probably keep at least some cells alive for a while... for values of life that equate more to the sort of life you can associate with a bacterium, rather than with, say "getting a life", sure, but life within most reasonable scientific definitions, I think.

Title: Remove the central nervous system
Post by: Bored chemist on 14/11/2010 09:32:03

I wasn't kidding about the sexually transmitted bit. Without a lot of intervention, reproduction wouldn't happen and life would die out in 1 generation.
In the meantime you would still have a rather limited version of life. I'm not sure, but I think a plant might be a better analogy than a bacterium. Multicellular, but no nervous reflexes.

Title: Remove the central nervous system
Post by: rosy on 14/11/2010 12:22:03

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I wasn't kidding about the sexually transmitted bit. Without a lot of intervention, reproduction wouldn't happen and life would die out in 1 generation.

Well indeed. But a lack of ability for sexual reproduction on an individual level (without significant intervention) doesn't make someone not alive. Ask (more or less) any woman over 60.
I'd agree about the plant..

Title: Remove the central nervous system
Post by: Bored chemist on 14/11/2010 18:50:47

There is more to life than reproduction, but in about 100 years time the effect would be the same.

Title: Remove the central nervous system
Post by: maffsolo on 14/11/2010 22:33:43

Does the central nervous system include the brain or a ganglion?

Title: Remove the central nervous system
Post by: Bored chemist on 15/11/2010 06:56:45

It's the brain and the spinal column IIRC.

Title: Remove the central nervous system
Post by: QuantumClue on 15/11/2010 10:28:40

Anxiety, anger????

Murder and War???

Come to think of it... addiction?

Most addictions aren't even physical. Not to mention wars and murders are hardly caused by our central nervous system. When did anger get entangled into the nervous system?

I think the only credible part here is the anxiety, but what if it was a mental condition which caused the anxiety. In fact, I don't even know why I have gone this far. Without the nervous system, your body would not survive.

Title: Remove the central nervous system
Post by: JP on 15/11/2010 11:13:41

It would be hard to wage war if you were comatose...

Title: Remove the central nervous system
Post by: QuantumClue on 15/11/2010 11:38:44

Quote from: JP on 15/11/2010 11:13:41

It would be hard to wage war if you were comatose...

ah yes. A loophole.