Topics Mind

Question Abigail and Brittany Hensel, born 1990, midwest USA A very rare, dicephalus pair, they have separate heads and necks, but share one torso and a pair of legs. Each has her own heart and stomach, and controls the limbs and feels sensation exclusively on her own side. They share three lungs and, below the waist, a single set of organs. Physically they move as one, in perfect co-ordination. Mentally they are independent, with different preferences and abilities. Their parents are opposed to separation, which would be highly dangerous. Even if successful, the girls would be left severely disabled, and unable to enjoy walking, running, swimming and bike riding which, together, they can do easily. I am a Cartesian Dualist - I think! Does this situation above not solve the Mind/Body, Mind/Brain problem?

Accepted:
December 1, 2007

Comments

I think I'm confused. The two girls have two brains---one each. So I don't see any threat here to mind--brain identity.

There is something philosophically interesting about the fact that the girls, together, can ride a bike, etc, using their shared torso, etc, and I'd be interested to hear what people who work on the body would have to say about them. One would really need to know a lot more about them---about what their ability to control "their" legs are like, etc. But I don't see any threat here either to dualism---though dualism does have its own share of problems.