Cognition: What Makes Us Human?

What Makes Us Human?

Futurama- The Day the Earth Stood Stoopid

http://https://futurama.fandom.com/wiki/The_Day_the_Earth_Stood_Stupid

In Futurama’s episode ‘ The Day the Earth Stood Stoopid’, the episode employs the use of the image of a brain in a vat (outside the vat, in this case). The battle between the flying brains and the humans is representing the argument of cognition limited to the brain and embodied cognition. Though the brains are seen as intelligent and humans stupid, the brains’ reliance on the brain for thought processes is actually to their detriment. Why? Because they are unable to process emotions properly since they are just a brain and not a mind. This suggests that there is value in human emotions and that the collaboration between our brain and our body is what makes us human. This made me think of how we treat people in a coma. When there is a lack of brain activity, a person is called brain-dead. But, when the human form decides to cease all activity, they are just dead, which highlights the importance of viewing the brain and body as one. Also, I just wanted to highlight Leela’s comment about the brains saying: “Oh my God; they’re like flying televisions!” (because they make people dumb). I thought it was interesting that she thinks of technology as a knowledge-zapper instead of a new medium through which we can gain knowledge compared to reading, writing, etc.

Star Trek: Return to Tomorrow

Star Trek uses Sargon and Sargon’s planet as a symbol for brain cognition. Sargon says, “I am as dead as my planet”‘. What’s interesting is that Sargon is directing the ship through voice commands alone. It is assumed that Sargon is a person or maybe an alien until it is revealed that they are a brain in a vat (or a brain in an orb, in this case). Essentially, they act like Siri, giving commands and mimicking human-like ways of thinking. However, it’s noted that, though Sargon doesn’t consider himself dead, he doesn’t consider himself alive either. That is until he possesses a crew member’s body and states how wonderful it is, “to be again”. “To be” as in regaining the senses which allowed him to feel a pulse, breathe, and see. I would argue that vision was probably the most important sense that they regained because before they could perceive their surroundings. This circles back to the belief that human cognition is formed by our experiences. 

Altered Carbon: Out of the Past

Unlike both Star Trek and Futurama, Altered Carbon doesn’t have images or representations of a brain outside the body. It doesn’t question what it means to be a human. Rather, it questions what makes you, you. The writers focus on the human form, referring to bodies as ‘sleeves’, implying that bodies are vessels for the brain and that it’s solely responsible for our personality. Take the case of Kovacs, for example, he still seems to be himself even though he went from being a slender Asian man to a buff white guy. It’s suggested that the human brain acts like a computer: our thoughts are software that can be downloaded and run by anybody. In other words, the brain can’t exist outside of a body, but it can function outside of our original body.