However, using the advancing technology of 3D printing, scientists could discover a way to print out new brain parts. The reality is that making new organs is not a future that is too far as people are already creating new body parts like a lung or an ear from stem cells. Replicating brains is definitely a long ways off though, as humans right now don't even fully understand how it even works and all of its complexities, but I think that it's at least in the realm of possibility. Scientists have conducted amazing research with human stem cells already, and when a fetus is growing, their brain grows from cells, so what's stopping us from creating a brain with stem cells we already have? Perhaps we could even 3D print stem cells so that we can create a completely synthetic brain (and maybe even eventually an even synthetic person). Furthermore, engineers could create brains that aren't susceptible to disease or something like memory loss, maybe even making a perfect brain. These brains could be engineered to carry specific traits and talents so that they human with the brain shows them.
Before this gets too deep and can start dreaming of all the opportunities, immortality is a thing. If we have perfect brains, nothing is stopping us from just recreating ourselves every time something breaks down. Immortality could perhaps finally be achieved, and depending on who you ask, this isn't always a good thing. This would also touch on the matter of soul. Once that part of the brain is lost, then that part of a person is lost. Although they might make a new brain for them, it would not be the same person. I don't know enough about neuroscience and even whether or not souls exists to discuss how people could still remain as the people they are with a new brain. That's the future generations philosophical dilemma. Living forever and philosophy aside, I think overall this would have a good effect on society as death caused by brain loss if often painful and slow.
This may seem like this is all leading towards AIs or replicants, but if the original purpose of this idea is followed, which is to help victims of brain disease, than this would be an amazing tool in the medical field that could save millions of lives.
Oh, this is cool! And yes, I absolutely think it will happen in the not-too-distant future.
ReplyDeleteI have a loopy philosophical question: If we get a whole replacement brain, aren't we a different person? Even if it's exactly the same in all the details, it's not physically the same brain. (For instance, you could print two identical brains and have two different people.)
On the other hand, our cells constantly renew. If you got a replacement brain area that imitated your own brain, would you necessarily be a new person? I'm not so sure, but you might be different, at least.