Charles Goodwin wrote:
>
> Another question is what happens in cases of very violent death, e.g. beheading. After someone's head is cut off, so they say, it
> remains conscious for a few seconds (I can't see why it wouldn't). According to QTI it experiences being decapitated but then
> survives indefinitely - somehow . . . well, I'd like to hear what QTI supporters think happens next (from the pov of the victim).
> Are they magically translated into a non-decapitated version of themselves, and if so, how? Surely it can't be in the same quantum
> state that they're in? If not, do they experience indefinitely continued survival as a severed head, or . . . what??? Just curious!
>
> Charles
This case bothers me too. The initial (or perhaps traditional)
response is that consciousness is lost the instant blood pressure
drops in the brain, a few hundred milliseconds after the neck is
severed, thus the beheading is not experienced. However, there is some
anecdotal evidence (eg the beheading of Lavoisier) that consciousness
can survive up to 10-20 seconds after the neck is severed.
Even if this is true, it still does not eliminate magical solutions,
such as waking up "Matrix"-style in an alternative reality.
Cheers
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Received on Mon Sep 03 2001 - 22:13:55 PDT