284 Self and the Phenomenon of Life
b2726 Self and the Phenomenon of Life: A Biologist Examines Life from Molecules to Humanity “9x6”brain illness, such as a tumor detected by an MRI. The controversy
becomes more troublesome as diagnostic tests become more and more
refined, and previously undetectable brain lesions become observable.
The problem stems from the outdated Cartesian concept of mind-body
dualism, which posits that mind is the “soul” that occupies the driver’s
seat in the brain, steering the brain (a machine or vehicle) to move and
carry out actions. The conclusion derived from this assumption is that
any malfunctioning of the “machine” is not the fault of the “driver.”
It can be argued, then, that a person with a brain tumor should not be
held responsible should he commit a crime. The problem is, not all
brain abnormalities are as clear-cut as a tumor. Many are subtle struc-
tural changes that may not be detectable today but will be tomorrow.
Some brain illnesses are due to chemical changes, which are even
harder to test, but they are abnormal nonetheless. To distinguish a nor-
mal from an abnormal brain could be a hair-splitting futile exercise.
In my opinion, self is the agent of action, and self is a composite of
mind and body, one inseparable from the other. A dysfunctional mind
is also a dysfunctional brain, and vice versa. To acquit a criminal who
has a demonstrable sick brain, and punish one whose brain illness is not
easy to detect, does not sound like a fair judgment. My suggestion is to
handle all antisocial persons as having a pathologic brain. They all have
to be treated and they all have to be segregated from society until they
are no longer a threat.
12.12 War Needs No Excuses
As long as there are selves, competition for survival is inevitable. War is
a prototype of struggle among mega-selves — group selection at work
(Figs. 12.2–12.4). In the animal world, competition for energy to sustain
life comes in different forms: fighting for food; eating one another for
nutrition; and territorial expansion for increasing food supply. The last
is achieved by killing of competing groups of the same species, since
animals of the same species consume similar food.