When a limb is amputated the brain still has an image of the whole, and causes problems with phantom limb syndrome, even destroying the nerves prior to amputation doesnt completely rid the phenomena. What therefore, apart from physical rejection, would heart transplant patients experience having someone else's 'blueprint' in their body, would it continue to be different or would it become you in the spiritual sense? (Not sure if this question belongs in the humanities or science)
2006-09-01 00:05:18 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
That is a very interesting question. It's about how science and spirituality mesh together and how you define what makes you, you.
We tend to regard the brain as the seat of the person's identity ( or soul if you like) but other cultures both past (eg Ancient Egypt) and present regarded the heart as the seat of the person. It's interesting that you have chosen the heart too. There have been anecdotal reports in newspapers of heart transplant patients feeling changed and adopting interests or even outlooks on life that their donor had. It could be complete unsubstantiated rubbish and would be pretty hard to analyse scientifically.
Other transplants are carried out eg kidneys, corneas, lungs skin and bone but I have never come across reports for any aspect of changed identity as a result of transplanting this tissue. So it doesn't stack up logically. So perhaps this is tapping into something very ancient in human culture.
Transplant patients not only have had traumatic and life threatening surgery they also have to take a cocktail of drugs to target rejection. What impact these have on the body as a whole is hard to work out as there is a definate but very poorly understood link between the mind and the body's immune system. Because of this I am keeping an open mind.
2006-09-01 00:39:17 · answer #1 · answered by Dancemomma 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think it's blueprint. The only blueprint we have is our DNA, which is in every cell in the body. The phantom limb issue is based on the fact that the muscles and nerves still sort of expect a limb to be there and make the same responses as if it were (only there's nothing to respond to signals).
On the other hand, a heart transplant does not leave you with a phantom heart, but another real heart that can work the same (more-or-less) as your own heart. There are many cases where your body rejects the transplant for some reason and another one has to be found.
The question, I'd say, belongs in medicine (science) or psychology. I'd also say that you are confusing "invisible" things with spiritual things. Atoms are invisible (to the naked eye) but are not spiritual. A phantom limb is a physical and not a spiritual phenomenon (it can be measured and researched).
2006-09-01 07:17:05 · answer #2 · answered by Pandak 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As long at the transplanted heart functions the same way as the original of which the body has a blueprint - I don't think the spirit will recognize the difference. Well, if it does recognize the difference, I can't imagine it would care.
2006-09-01 07:12:25 · answer #3 · answered by Kitkat Bar 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The heart having anything to do with spirituality is a human-made notion. Scientifically, the heart has absolutely nothing to do with your emotion, kindness, beliefs, etc., just pump blood, that's it.
2006-09-01 07:41:20 · answer #4 · answered by Marianna 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your heart isn't the location of your spirit. It's the muscle that pumps your blood through your body, nothing more.
2006-09-01 09:53:57 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Spirituality is bullsh!t
2006-09-01 07:10:09 · answer #6 · answered by savs 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋