Mind and Body

The NYTimes reports on an imaging study that "Trace of thought is found in 'vegetative' patient" and that a method was devised which allowed the patient to communicate simple yes and no answers.

In an editorial accompanying the article, Dr. Allan H. Ropper...warned against equating neural activity and identity.

“Physicians and society are not ready for ‘I have brain activation, therefore I am,’ ” Dr. Ropper wrote. “That would seriously put Descartes before the horse.”

I bet he was waiting a long time to use that line!