Derek Parfit believed that the split brain experiments provided evidence in favor of which of the following?
Select one:
a. Determinism
b. Free will
c. Hume's bundle theory
d. The human soul
e. Locke's memory theory
I think b
c. Hume's bundle theory
Derek Parfit believed that the split brain experiments provided evidence in favor of e) Locke's memory theory.
To determine which answer Derek Parfit believed the split brain experiments supported, we need to examine his views and the nature of the experiments.
Derek Parfit was a British philosopher known for his work on personal identity. He argued against the existence of a persisting self or soul, instead focusing on psychological continuity as the basis for personal identity over time.
The split brain experiments were conducted on patients who had undergone a surgical procedure called a corpus callosotomy, which involves severing the connection between the two hemispheres of the brain. This procedure was performed to alleviate severe epilepsy. After the surgery, the patients showed interesting behavioral effects.
In these experiments, information presented to one hemisphere of the brain could not be communicated to the other hemisphere due to the severed connection. For example, if an image was shown to the left visual field (processed in the right hemisphere), the patient would not be able to verbally identify or describe the image, as the language centers in the left hemisphere were not aware of the information. However, the patient's left hand (controlled by the right hemisphere) could correctly select an object related to the image, indicating some level of awareness.
Given Parfit's focus on psychological continuity and his rejection of the existence of a persisting self or soul, it is unlikely that he would argue in favor of options c (Hume's bundle theory) or d (The human soul). Both of these theories posit the existence of a persisting self or substance underlying personal identity, which Parfit rejects.
The split brain experiments do not directly address determinism or free will. Determinism refers to the belief that all events are predetermined and that individuals have no free will. Free will, on the other hand, asserts that individuals have the ability to make choices and decisions.
Locke's memory theory is a theory of personal identity that holds that a person's identity is based on their memories and experiences. Given Parfit's focus on psychological continuity, it is possible that he might suggest that the split brain experiments could support this theory.
Therefore, based on Parfit's views and the nature of the experiments, it is most reasonable to select answer e (Locke's memory theory) as the option that he believed the split brain experiments provided evidence in favor of.