Split brain with one half atheist and one half theist @wimsweden

Wim VDB Neurologist VS Ramachandran explains the case of split-brain patients with one hemisphere without a belief in a god, and the other with a belief in a god. (Clip taken from talk at 2006 Beyond Belief Conference, link below)

Link to Ramachandran's full talk (about 39 minutes into the video):
http://thesciencenetwork.org/programs/beyond-belief-science-religion-reason-and-survival/session-4-1

More information about patient "L.B." referenced in this video:
The "theist-atheist" is "L.B.," who underwent section of the corpus callosum and anterior and hippocampal commissures in 1963, when he was 12 years 11 months old: https://www.academia.edu/6313681/Role_of_the_Commissures_in_Interhemispheric_Temporal_Judgments?auto=download
He was one of the two most tested split-brain patients in history: books.google.com/books?id=fROW4vqDGvEC&lpg=PA362&ots=76ZZWaNOFQ&dq=Ramanchandran%20%22patient%20LB%22&pg=PA372#v=onepage&q&f=false
You probably are already familiar with a paper about L.B.'s perception of a line-motion illusion: https://www.academia.edu/17444018/Hemispheric_integration_and_differences_in_perception_of_a_line-motion_illusion_in_the_divided_brain?auto=download
When L.B. was shown Penrose's impossible triangle (a visual anomaly) in one visual field and then the other, the anomaly was only noticed when the triangle was presented to the left visual field (or right hemisphere): http://ion.uwinnipeg.ca/~s…/research/smith04_b&c_anomaly.pdf
"Unlike most split-brain patients, L.B. demonstrates unusually effective ipsilateral motor control of both hands": books.google.com/books?id=fROW4vqDGvEC&lpg=PA362&ots=76ZZWaNOFQ&dq=Ramanchandran%20%22patient%20LB%22&pg=PA372#v=onepage&q=l.b.&f=false
L.B. is also one of three unusual split-brain subjects whose normally silent Right Hemisphere can "respond verbally to stimuli" [from what I have read elsewhere, that means one or two word answers]: books.google.com/books?id=KXsfAvtgGTAC&lpg=PA636&ots=ckfydo_Eby&dq=Ramanchandran%20%22patient%20LB%22&pg=PA327#v=onepage&q&f=false

"Ramanchandran (2003)... describes a study that showed that the non-verbal right hemisphere of a split-brain patient can lie: for instance after receiving instructions from researcher A ("to lie" to the patient (non-verbally) signed the wrong answer to researcher B. They also tested the personality and aesthetic preferences of the two hemispheres' 'selves' by training the right hemisphere to communicate 'yes' or 'no,' or 'I don't know' non-verbally by picking one of three abstract shapes with the left hand, and received surprising results that showed the two hemispheres can simultaneously hold contradictory views. For example, in patient LB the left hemisphere said it believed in God whereas the right hemisphere insisted that it was an atheist!: books.google.com/books?id=ISjaYUyykgsC&lpg=PA117&ots=_MeJw3eK9u&dq=Ramachandran%20split-brain%20atheist&pg=PA117#v=onepage&q&f=false
"Imagine our surprise when we noticed that in patient LB the left hemisphere said it believed in God whereas the right hemisphere signaled that it was an atheist. The inter-trial consistency of this needs to be verified but the very least it shows that the two hemispheres can simultaneously hold contradictory views on God." Ramanchandran, 2003 books.google.com/books?id=VZ7CBQAAQBAJ&lpg=PA13&ots=cGstf3nj5p&dq=Ramanchandran%20%22patient%20LB%22&pg=PA14#v=onepage&q&f=false
[...]
Someone also took a look at the humor of split-brain patients L.B. ["Philip"]and N.G. ["Linda"] since in both cases the right hemispheres was unusual in being able to "respond verbally to stimuli." books.google.com/books?id=3XPNDQAAQBAJ&lpg=PA217&ots=AyHT_CXhFa&dq=Ramanchandran%20%22patient%20LB%22&pg=PA217#v=onepage&q&f=false
"Zaidel once asked Philip [=L.B. according to his endnote?] a series of questions directed to his left and right hemispheres and found that the two sides of his brain had different personalities and outlooks on life. His left hemisphere experienced relatively low self-esteem while his right hemisphere [the "atheist" hemisphere according to Ramachandran] saw itself rather positively. The right side also experienced greater loneliness and sadness. Another split-brain patient's right hemisphere was particularly influenced by childhood memories of being bullied, even though his left hemisphere denied finding such experiences disturbing." books.google.com/books?id=3XPNDQAAQBAJ&lpg=PA217&ots=AyHT_CXhFa&dq=Ramanchandran%20%22patient%20LB%22&pg=PA169#v=onepage&q&f=false

Source: facebook.com/539201783/posts/10156112736736784?s=539201783&sfns=mo

updated 14 years ago

Split brain with one half atheist and one half theist

Wim VDB 2010-06-03 | Neurologist VS Ramachandran explains the case of split-brain patients with one hemisphere without a belief in a god, and the other with a belief in a god. (Clip taken from talk at 2006 Beyond Belief Conference, link below)

Link to Ramachandran's full talk (about 39 minutes into the video):
http://thesciencenetwork.org/programs/beyond-belief-science-religion-reason-and-survival/session-4-1

More information about patient "L.B." referenced in this video:
The "theist-atheist" is "L.B.," who underwent section of the corpus callosum and anterior and hippocampal commissures in 1963, when he was 12 years 11 months old: https://www.academia.edu/6313681/Role_of_the_Commissures_in_Interhemispheric_Temporal_Judgments?auto=download
He was one of the two most tested split-brain patients in history: books.google.com/books?id=fROW4vqDGvEC&lpg=PA362&ots=76ZZWaNOFQ&dq=Ramanchandran%20%22patient%20LB%22&pg=PA372#v=onepage&q&f=false
You probably are already familiar with a paper about L.B.'s perception of a line-motion illusion: https://www.academia.edu/17444018/Hemispheric_integration_and_differences_in_perception_of_a_line-motion_illusion_in_the_divided_brain?auto=download
When L.B. was shown Penrose's impossible triangle (a visual anomaly) in one visual field and then the other, the anomaly was only noticed when the triangle was presented to the left visual field (or right hemisphere): http://ion.uwinnipeg.ca/~s…/research/smith04_b&c_anomaly.pdf
"Unlike most split-brain patients, L.B. demonstrates unusually effective ipsilateral motor control of both hands": books.google.com/books?id=fROW4vqDGvEC&lpg=PA362&ots=76ZZWaNOFQ&dq=Ramanchandran%20%22patient%20LB%22&pg=PA372#v=onepage&q=l.b.&f=false
L.B. is also one of three unusual split-brain subjects whose normally silent Right Hemisphere can "respond verbally to stimuli" [from what I have read elsewhere, that means one or two word answers]: books.google.com/books?id=KXsfAvtgGTAC&lpg=PA636&ots=ckfydo_Eby&dq=Ramanchandran%20%22patient%20LB%22&pg=PA327#v=onepage&q&f=false

"Ramanchandran (2003)... describes a study that showed that the non-verbal right hemisphere of a split-brain patient can lie: for instance after receiving instructions from researcher A ("to lie" to the patient (non-verbally) signed the wrong answer to researcher B. They also tested the personality and aesthetic preferences of the two hemispheres' 'selves' by training the right hemisphere to communicate 'yes' or 'no,' or 'I don't know' non-verbally by picking one of three abstract shapes with the left hand, and received surprising results that showed the two hemispheres can simultaneously hold contradictory views. For example, in patient LB the left hemisphere said it believed in God whereas the right hemisphere insisted that it was an atheist!: books.google.com/books?id=ISjaYUyykgsC&lpg=PA117&ots=_MeJw3eK9u&dq=Ramachandran%20split-brain%20atheist&pg=PA117#v=onepage&q&f=false
"Imagine our surprise when we noticed that in patient LB the left hemisphere said it believed in God whereas the right hemisphere signaled that it was an atheist. The inter-trial consistency of this needs to be verified but the very least it shows that the two hemispheres can simultaneously hold contradictory views on God." Ramanchandran, 2003 books.google.com/books?id=VZ7CBQAAQBAJ&lpg=PA13&ots=cGstf3nj5p&dq=Ramanchandran%20%22patient%20LB%22&pg=PA14#v=onepage&q&f=false
[...]
Someone also took a look at the humor of split-brain patients L.B. ["Philip"]and N.G. ["Linda"] since in both cases the right hemispheres was unusual in being able to "respond verbally to stimuli." books.google.com/books?id=3XPNDQAAQBAJ&lpg=PA217&ots=AyHT_CXhFa&dq=Ramanchandran%20%22patient%20LB%22&pg=PA217#v=onepage&q&f=false
"Zaidel once asked Philip [=L.B. according to his endnote?] a series of questions directed to his left and right hemispheres and found that the two sides of his brain had different personalities and outlooks on life. His left hemisphere experienced relatively low self-esteem while his right hemisphere [the "atheist" hemisphere according to Ramachandran] saw itself rather positively. The right side also experienced greater loneliness and sadness. Another split-brain patient's right hemisphere was particularly influenced by childhood memories of being bullied, even though his left hemisphere denied finding such experiences disturbing." books.google.com/books?id=3XPNDQAAQBAJ&lpg=PA217&ots=AyHT_CXhFa&dq=Ramanchandran%20%22patient%20LB%22&pg=PA169#v=onepage&q&f=false

Source: facebook.com/539201783/posts/10156112736736784?s=539201783&sfns=mo

Failure of Greater Good and Soul Making Theodicies

Wim VDB 2024-06-09 | ...

Why apologists dont argue for perfect communicator as a divine attribute @TheNonAlchemist

Wim VDB 2024-06-01 | The Non-Alchemist's video I referenced: youtu.be/0ZCTEpxpS6w?si=4pHZcu3oz2nvMCrx

Why fine-tuning arguments make no theological sense

Wim VDB 2018-03-18 | Christian Hans Halvorson explains.
Clip taken from the following conversation between Hans Halvorson and Sean Carroll:
youtu.be/H864JH1tPYU
ca. 31:17 into the conversatio

How God cant be a Creator

Wim VDB 2017-04-17 | Looking at the attributes of being perfect, fully actualized and timeless and how those make the notion of a creator god impossible

Response to Giunta/Dillahunty Talk

Wim VDB 2016-09-04 | My response to three arguments made by Christian apolologist Blake Giunta in his discussion with Matt Dillahunty.
Link to "Did the disciples die for a lie?" series: youtu.be/Qh38ygMiY5I?list=PL312F42427DA815BB
Link to Giunta and Dillahunty's review of their debate:
youtu.be/MGdFT77hHys

No such thing as a first human - Misguided Essentialism

Wim VDB 2016-05-03 | Essentialism in religion versus the fact that there is no such thing as a "first human".

How could perfection breed imperfection?

Wim VDB 2016-05-02 | Perfect beings and reasons for creating less than perfect states-of-affairs + how free will fits into it or not

Creation myths - Ptah & Yahweh/El

Wim VDB 2016-04-22 | Comparing the Genesis creation myth and the Egyptian Ptah creation myth
Sorry about the gusts of wind.

Jesus v Homer: Theoxenia in the Ancient Mediterranean

Wim VDB 2016-04-09 | An examination of statements attributed to Jesus in their general Greco-Roman and Jewish contexts. I look at hospitality in the Greco-Roman world, what a theoxeny (theoxenia) is and how Greco-Roman hospitality stories resembles Jewish hospitality stories.

Analogy for Micro-evolution vs Macro-evolution

Wim VDB 2016-03-10 | Aging as an analogy for micro vs macro evolution

Craig vs Craig, or Molinism vs Infant Salvation

Wim VDB 2014-02-13 | Craig's Molinist view:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuuLdzZSlmw

Craig's infant salvation view (about 7 minutes in):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2kSST8O93Y

I got the idea for this video after listening to The Bible Geek Podcast episode 14-008:
http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=20430&cmd=tc

Hell as Separation from God just as absurd as Fire-and-Brimstone Hell

Wim VDB 2013-03-19 | Note: This is mainly addressed to people who think there is no such thing as a "real atheist".
The audio is taken from the 10 March 2013 episode of Robert M. Price's "Bible Geek Podcast".

Einsteins God Letter - An English translation

Wim VDB 2012-10-08 | Link to image of letter: i0.wp.com/harmoniaphilosophica.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/letter-einstein-full.jpg

Full text of the book "Choose Life: The Biblical Call To Revolt" by Eric Gutkind, which Einstein's letter was a response to:
http://www.archive.org/stream/chooselifethebib012800mbp/chooselifethebib012800mbp_djvu.txt

My translation:
Princeton, 3 January 1954
Dear Mr. Gutkind!
Inspired by Brouwer's repeated suggestion, I have been reading a great deal in your book in the last few days, and I thank you for sending it to me. What particularly struck me was this. With regard to our actual attitude to life and to human society we are broadly similar: an ideal beyond the personal that strives for freedom from self-centred desires, strives to make existence more beautiful and enriched, with an emphasis on the purely humane, where inanimate things are only seen as a means to which no dominant role should be granted. (It is this attitude in particular that unites us as a truly "un-American attitude")
Still, had it not been for Brouwer's encouragement, I would never have brought myself to delve into your book in any way, as it is written in a language that is inaccessible to me. For me, the word God is nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honourable but still exceedingly primitive legends. No interpretation, however subtle, could change that (for me). These rarefied interpretations are by their nature extremely manifold and are in almost no way related to the original text. For me, the unadulterated Jewish religion, like all other religions, is an incarnation of primitive superstition. And the Jewish people, to whom I gladly belong and whose mentality I am deeply embedded in, for me, possess no dignity distinct from all other peoples'. In my experience, they are also no better than other human groups, although they are protected from the worst excesses by a lack of power. Otherwise I cannot discern anything "chosen" about them.
In general, I find it painful that you claim a privileged position and try to defend it by two walls of pride, an external one as a human being and an internal one as a Jew. As a human, you claim to a certain extent a dispensation from otherwise accepted causality, as a Jew a privilege for monotheism. But a limited causality is no longer a causality at all, as our wonderful Spinoza was the first to incisively recognise. And the animistic conception of nature religions is, as a matter of principle, not nullified by monopolisation. Such walls will only lead us to certain self-deceit; but our moral efforts are not advanced by them. Rather the contrary.
Now that I have quite openly expressed our differences in intellectual considerations, it is still clear to me that we are quite close to each other in what is essential, i.e. in our evaluations of human conduct. What separates us is only intellectual embellishment or "rationalisation" in Freudian language. Therefore, I think we would get along quite well when discussing concrete matters.
With kind thanks and best wishes,
Yours, A. Einstein

Einsteins Gottesbrief / Einsteins God Letter in German

Wim VDB 2012-10-06 | Link to image of letter: http://www.auctioncause.com/cf/einstein/images/large.jpg

Full text of the book "Choose Life: The Biblical Call To Revolt" by Eric Gutkind, which Einstein's letter was a response to:
http://www.archive.org/stream/chooselifethebib012800mbp/chooselifethebib012800mbp_djvu.txt

Trascript of letter:
Princeton, 3.1.54

Lieber Herr Gutkind!

Angefeuert durch wiederholte Anregung Brouwers habe ich in den letzten Tagen viel gelesen in Ihrem Buche, für dessen Sendung ich Ihnen sehr danke. Was mir dabei besonders auffiel war dies. Wir sind einander inbezug auf die faktische Einstellung zum Leben und zur menschlichen Gemeinschaft weitgehend identisch: über-persönliches Ideal mit dem Streben nach Befreiung von ich-zentrierten Wünschen, Streben nach Verschönerung und Veredelung des Daseins mit Betonung des rein Menschlichen, wobei das leblose Ding nur als Mittel anzusehen ist, dem keine beherrschende Funktion eingeräumt werden darf (Diese Einstellung ist es besonders, die uns als ein echt "unamerican attitude" verbindet.)

Trotzdem hätte ich mich ohne Brouwers Ermunterung nie dazu gebracht, mich irgendwie eingehend mit Ihrem Buch zu befassen, weil es in einer für mich unzugänglichen Sprache geschrieben ist. Das Wort Gott ist für mich nichts als Ausdruck und Produkt menschlicher Schwächen, die Bibel eine Sammlung ehrwürdiger aber doch reichlich primitiver Legenden. Keine noch so feinsinnige Auslegung kann (für mich) etwas daran ändern. Diese verfeinerten Auslegungen sind naturgemäss höchst mannigfaltig und haben so gut wie nichts mit dem Urtext zu schaffen. Für mich ist die unverfälschte jüdische Religion wie alle anderen Religionen eine Incarnation (sic) des primitiven Aberglaubens. Und das jüdische Volk, zu dem ich gerne gehöre und mit dessen Mentalität ich tief verwachsen bin, hat für mich doch keine andersartige Dignität als alle anderen Völker. Soweit meine Erfahrung reicht ist es auch um nichts besser als andere menschliche Gruppen wenn es auch durch Mangel an Macht gegen die schlimmsten Auswüchse gesichert ist. Sonst kann ich nichts "Auserwähltes" an ihm wahrnehmen.

Überhaupt empfinde ich es schmerzlich, dass Sie eine priviligierte Stellung beanspruchen und sie durch zwei Mauern des Stolzes zu verteidigen suchen, eine äussere als Mensch und eine innere als Jude. Als Mensch beanspruchen Sie gewissermassen eine Dispens von der sonst akzeptierten Kausalität, als Jude ein Privileg für Monotheismus. Aber eine begrenzte Kausalität ist überhaupt keine Kausalität mehr, wie wohl zuerst unser wunderbarer Spinoza mit aller Schärfe erkannt hat. Und die animistische Auffassung der Naturreligionen wird im Prinzip durch Monopolisierung nicht aufgehoben. Durch solche Mauern können wir nur zu einer gewissen Selbsttäuschung gelangen; aber unsere moralischen Bemühungen werden durch sie nicht gefördert. Eher das Gegenteil.

Nachdem ich Ihnen nun ganz offen unsere Differenzen in den intellektuellen Überlegungen ausgesprochen habe, ist es mir doch klar, dass wir uns im Wesentlichen ganz nahe stehen, nämlich in den Bewertungen menschlichen Verhaltens. Das Trennende ist nur intellektuelles Beiwerk oder die "Rationalisierung" in Freud'scher Sprache. Deshalb denke ich, dass wir uns recht wohl verstehen würden, wenn wir uns über konkrete Dinge unterhielten.

Mit freundlichen Dank und besten Wünschen,

Ihr A. Einstein.

Debunking Mary Apparition in Warraq, Egypt

Wim VDB 2012-01-10 | In this video I try to expose the "Mary Apparition(s)" that supposedly occurred at a Coptic church in Warraq, Egypt (suburb of Cairo) on 11 December 2009. This "apparition" was officially approved by the Coptic Orthodox Church and is today presented by many as a prime example of miracles happening today. Well, if this is the best they've got, then I pity them.

Medium Deceives TV Host / Medium lurar Doreen Månsson

Wim VDB 2010-03-21 | "Medium deceives TV host: How hot reading works"

On 17 April 2008, the "medium" Vivi Linde was interviewed by TV host
Doreen Månsson on Swedish television.

Link to the entire interview on "Doreen 21:30" (SVT2), in Swedish:
http://svt.se/svt/play/video.jsp?a=1116065

As part of this interview, the "medium" "contacted" the TV host's deceased father, giving incredible details about the life and death of this man.
Incredibly, I have access to the same information, after a half hour internet search for interviews with the TV host on the death of her father in 2006.
It's a miracle, the "medium" can use the internet.

Below you can find all the sources that are referred to in the video. Unfortunately, most of the sources are in Swedish, but at least I can provide some actual evidence
for my "psychic powers":

Online picture of TV host's father at his last place of employment:
http://www.report2005.novozymes.com/Menu/Board+and+Management/Management

"Allt om barn" article:
http://www.alltombarn.se/aktuellt/iden-om-karnfamiljen-gor-mig-arg-1.5831

"Mama" article:
http://www.mama.nu/reportage/artiklar/2008/doreen-mansson-jag-ar-mamm/index.xml

"Vi" article:
http://www.vi-tidningen.se/templates/ArticlePage.aspx?id=9091

Company obituary on TV host's father:
http://www.novozymes.com/en/MainStructure/PressAndPublications/Newsitems/2006/Per_M%C3%A5nson_passed_away.htm

This list is in no way exhaustive. Many other Swedish media reported on this and have information available online. Ironically, even on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXEA3YdYC2IOn 17 April 2008, the "medium" Vivi Linde was interviewed by TV host Doreen Månsson on Swedish television.
As part of this interview, the "medium" "contacted" the TV host's deceased father, giving incredible details about the life and death of this man.
Incredibly, I have access to the same information, after a half hour internet search for interviews with the TV host about the death of her father in 2006.
It's a miracle, the "medium" can use the internet.

Below you can find all the sources that are referred to in the video. Unfortunately, most of the sources are in Swedish, but at least I can provide some actual evidence
for my "powers":

Online picture of TV host's father at his last place of employment:
http://www.report2005.novozymes.com/Menu/Board+and+Management/Management

"Allt om barn" article:
http://www.alltombarn.se/aktuellt/iden-om-karnfamiljen-gor-mig-arg-1.5831

"Mama" article:
http://www.mama.nu/reportage/artiklar/2008/doreen-mansson-jag-ar-mamm/index.xml

"Vi" article:
http://www.vi-tidningen.se/templates/ArticlePage.aspx?id=9091

Company obituary on TV host's father:
http://www.novozymes.com/en/MainStructure/PressAndPublications/Newsitems/2006/Per_M%C3%A5nson_passed_away.htm

This list is in no way exhaustive. Many other Swedish media reported on this and have information available online. Ironically, even on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXEA3YdYC2I

The Beliefs of a Prominent Swedish Christian / Vad Jonas Gardell tror

Wim VDB 2010-03-19 | Jonas Gardell, Swedish comedian and Christian, on his progressive religious beliefs

Collins vs Intelligent Design: My gap is bigger than yours!

Wim VDB 2010-02-27 | The only difference between Dembski and Collins is the size of the gap in their God of the Gaps arguments.

Link to David Sloan Wilson's article on SeedMagazine.com:
http://seedmagazine.com/content/article/altruism_vs._selfishness_case_closed