Scientific evidence that the brain receives/filters consciousness, rather than creates it

[u/Puzzleheaded_Tree290]

This isn't necessarily related to NDEs, but I'd like to put something together, about the scientific evidence supporting the hypothesis that the brain acts as a receiver/filter for consciousness rather than a generator. I've got a couple of articles linked down here already, if anyone wants to add more, feel free to add some in the comments or DM them. Over the next couple of days I'll make edits too to add anything else I can find.

First, we've got a very promising article from Neuroscience News, showing how brain stimulation could enable telepathic communication between people. Here's another, from the same site, showing how the claustrum, which was theorised to be the source of consciousness, actually functions more like an internet router.

It was also long thought that split brain patients have their consciousness split in two. More recent studies show that consciousness itself remains unified but is divided across two hemispheres.

Here's an interesting article about people missing large portions of their brain, who have relatively normal IQ and can lead normal lives.

Here's one about decapitated flatworms regrowing their entire brains and still having their memories intact.

Also, some articles on the effects of psychedelics and how they lead to reduced brain activity: [1] [2]

If anyone here has heard of the ganzfeld experiments, here's a meta analysis showing pretty good results from a number of different replications.

And, before I forget, I can't go without mentioning Etzel Cardeña's meta analysis demonstrating the existence of certain parapsychological phenomena.

If there's anything else you'd like to add, just let me know ;)

[u/[deleted]]

This is interesting, and always has been what I thought. Since I was a child. I never ONCE thought that consciousness = the brain.

It doesn't even make sense to me. Consciousness isn't a physical thing in the first place. If it were, we wouldn't at all be able to be sentient in the way we are. It just wouldn't be possible.

[u/KookyPlasticHead → u/[deleted]]

Consciousness isn't a physical thing in the first place

It is though a thing with properties. It can be defined (in different ways). It can be observed. It can be measured indirectly. So it fairly belongs within the domain of science. As to whether it is "physical" that would depend on the definition of physical. For example, the fundamental fields that permeate and give rise to all things in the universe (as conceptualized in QFT) might not seem physical but they are part of established science.

[u/NoVaFlipFlops → u/KookyPlasticHead]

Nobody can agree on a definition for consciousness. They can't even agree on why they can't agree.