Scientists Grew Stem Cell 'Mini Brains'. Then, the Brains Sort-Of Developed Eyes

mk_chan 2021-08-18 08:42:09 +0000 UTC [ - ]

Just a bit of fun :D “As you once did for the vacuous Rom, grant us eyes, grant us eyes. Plant eyes on our brains, to cleanse our beastly idiocy.” - Micolash, Bloodborne

swman 2021-08-18 01:15:36 +0000 UTC [ - ]

Does the mini brain think or feel? Very horror movie like to think about

chews 2021-08-18 01:49:32 +0000 UTC [ - ]

"The chicken sees..."

a3n 2021-08-18 01:25:35 +0000 UTC [ - ]

The article says no.

sdiupIGPWEfh 2021-08-18 02:06:55 +0000 UTC [ - ]

> In this case, these stem cells are coaxed to grow into blobs of brain tissue, without anything resembling thoughts, emotions, or consciousness.

Sure, I'm skeptical that organoids are anywhere near being capable of thought or emotion, but I don't see how it's acceptable that TFA can just assert so as fact with no further elaboration. Are the organoids developed enough to produce connections between neurons and show electrical activity by the stage they develop eye-like structures? If there's nothing like that, cool, no problem. However, if they do have that level of development, how exactly do you prove they have no subjective experience?

jjk166 2021-08-18 03:17:51 +0000 UTC [ - ]

How does one prove that the silicon chip in your computer has no subjective experience? How does one prove another human being has a subjective experience? Until someone figures out how consciousness arises from physical processes, we have no way of knowing whether consciousness has or has not arisen from any given physical process.

faraaz98 2021-08-18 03:50:50 +0000 UTC [ - ]

Well scientists don't claim that my cpu has feelings

jjk166 2021-08-18 15:01:15 +0000 UTC [ - ]

Nor do scientists claim this blob of cells has feelings, but here we are.

sdiupIGPWEfh 2021-08-18 16:42:42 +0000 UTC [ - ]

I would presume the actual scientists involved either (a) know that these blobs of cells are as incapable of subjective experience as my appendix or else (b) know there is no scientific basis for claiming one way or the other, though they may well share my belief that it is unlikely.

Now, I would be quite pleased if science journalism would do away with making such claims in either direction without further elaboration.

kaminar 2021-08-18 01:39:56 +0000 UTC [ - ]

How far is too far?