Brain and Behavior
The study of the human brain
In this chapter about the brain and how has developed and been researched for so many years. The Ted talk I really enjoyed was by neuroscientist Miguel Nicolelis — he built the brain-controlled exoskeleton that allowed a paralyzed man to kick the first ball of the 2014 World Cup. How can someone build a vest that transmits the motion from your brain to parts of your body that is paralyzed? Miguel Nicolelis did just that. So, basically he put this exoskeleton together, 15 degrees of freedom, hydraulic machine that can be commanded by brain signals recorded by a non-invasive technology called electroencephalography that can basically allow the patient to imagine the movements and send his commands to the controls, the motors, and get it done. This exoskeleton was covered with an artificial skin invented by Gordon Cheng.
Human behavior caused by your brain
Science has made huge strides in understanding the human brain and how it functions. For example, we know that the frontal lobes are the center of rational thinking and of self control. It is also understood that neurotransmitters, or brain chemicals, are responsible for our moods and of the general state that we are in. It is also known that severe mental illnesses, such as Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder, are diseases of the brain. Lesions or damage to the frontal lobes and to other parts of the brain can and affect impulses and impulsive behaviors. All of this knowledge raises disturbing questions. Does any of this mean that we are not responsible for our behavior?
In criminal trials something called the “insanity defense” is used when the defendant claims they are not responsible for their actions because of mental health problems. Another defense is called “diminished capacity.” The diminished capacity plea differs in important ways from “not guilty by reason of insanity.” In a successful plea of insanity the result is a verdict of not guilty. In this case the judge sends the defendant to a mental institution until it is determined that they are sane. At such time they are discharged from the hospital. Remember, they have been found not guilty. On the other hand, a successful plea of “diminished capacity” results in the defendant being convicted of a lesser offense and a lesser prison sentence than if they were guilty with full capacity.
In this chapter about the brain and how has developed and been researched for so many years. The Ted talk I really enjoyed was by neuroscientist Miguel Nicolelis — he built the brain-controlled exoskeleton that allowed a paralyzed man to kick the first ball of the 2014 World Cup. How can someone build a vest that transmits the motion from your brain to parts of your body that is paralyzed? Miguel Nicolelis did just that. So, basically he put this exoskeleton together, 15 degrees of freedom, hydraulic machine that can be commanded by brain signals recorded by a non-invasive technology called electroencephalography that can basically allow the patient to imagine the movements and send his commands to the controls, the motors, and get it done. This exoskeleton was covered with an artificial skin invented by Gordon Cheng.
Human behavior caused by your brain
Science has made huge strides in understanding the human brain and how it functions. For example, we know that the frontal lobes are the center of rational thinking and of self control. It is also understood that neurotransmitters, or brain chemicals, are responsible for our moods and of the general state that we are in. It is also known that severe mental illnesses, such as Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder, are diseases of the brain. Lesions or damage to the frontal lobes and to other parts of the brain can and affect impulses and impulsive behaviors. All of this knowledge raises disturbing questions. Does any of this mean that we are not responsible for our behavior?
In criminal trials something called the “insanity defense” is used when the defendant claims they are not responsible for their actions because of mental health problems. Another defense is called “diminished capacity.” The diminished capacity plea differs in important ways from “not guilty by reason of insanity.” In a successful plea of insanity the result is a verdict of not guilty. In this case the judge sends the defendant to a mental institution until it is determined that they are sane. At such time they are discharged from the hospital. Remember, they have been found not guilty. On the other hand, a successful plea of “diminished capacity” results in the defendant being convicted of a lesser offense and a lesser prison sentence than if they were guilty with full capacity.
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