Comments on: Setting the Record Straight: Belgian Coma Patient Cannot Communicate http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2010/02/22/setting-the-record-straight-belgian-coma-patient-cannot-communicate/ 80beats is DISCOVER's news aggregator, weaving together the choicest tidbits from the best articles covering the day's most compelling topics. Mon, 21 May 2012 04:06:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Albert Bakker http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2010/02/22/setting-the-record-straight-belgian-coma-patient-cannot-communicate/comment-page-1/#comment-118619 Albert Bakker Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:30:23 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=10648#comment-118619 #2 - Her name has been published numerous times, but you cannot jump to conclusions like that. It might seem that she made it all up, but she worked a long time with mr. Houben and could slowly have convinced herself. In fact if you read the Belgian skeptics SKEPP about this case (or Orac and Steve Novella) that seems to be the much more plausible scenario. http://skepp.be/nieuws/rom-praat-toch-niet-zelf #2 – Her name has been published numerous times, but you cannot jump to conclusions like that. It might seem that she made it all up, but she worked a long time with mr. Houben and could slowly have convinced herself. In fact if you read the Belgian skeptics SKEPP about this case (or Orac and Steve Novella) that seems to be the much more plausible scenario.

http://skepp.be/nieuws/rom-praat-toch-niet-zelf

]]> By: Akim http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2010/02/22/setting-the-record-straight-belgian-coma-patient-cannot-communicate/comment-page-1/#comment-118257 Akim Tue, 23 Feb 2010 03:32:17 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=10648#comment-118257 Where is the therapist's liability in this? If there was absolutely no aid in typing, how did such clear cut statements result? Who is this scam artist? Why hasn't his or her name been published? Where is the therapist’s liability in this? If there was absolutely no aid in typing, how did such clear cut statements result? Who is this scam artist? Why hasn’t his or her name been published?

]]> By: Brian Too http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2010/02/22/setting-the-record-straight-belgian-coma-patient-cannot-communicate/comment-page-1/#comment-118145 Brian Too Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:15:31 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=10648#comment-118145 Isn't there a theory that consciousness is inextricably tied to communications with the outside world? I wonder what this case would have to say about that theory? Of course, maybe Mr. Houben can receive sensory input even if he cannot communicate with the world around him. Perhaps that's enough to sustain a person... although it's not much. I'm not sure anyone would choose such a life. But it does have something in common with those religious lifestyles where people choose to remain mute. It's just drastically more severe, and imposed rather than chosen. Isn’t there a theory that consciousness is inextricably tied to communications with the outside world? I wonder what this case would have to say about that theory?

Of course, maybe Mr. Houben can receive sensory input even if he cannot communicate with the world around him. Perhaps that’s enough to sustain a person… although it’s not much. I’m not sure anyone would choose such a life. But it does have something in common with those religious lifestyles where people choose to remain mute. It’s just drastically more severe, and imposed rather than chosen.

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