1. ramachandran wants to understand brain functioning. how does he believe that we can better understand how the brain functions?
2. what did ramachandran study when he was young? how did he become a neurologist?
3. if you were faced with the choice of being yourself or being the combinations of “minds” in the vat, which would you chose? why? do you think science will progress to a point where this is possible? why or why not?
4. if you were given the chance, what part of brain function would you want to study (such as an emotion or déjà vu)? why? what interests you about this part of brain function or malfunction?
5. what is a capgras delusion that ramachandran describes in the video? why does this happen in some people?
6. what is a phantom limb? what causes this situation according to ramachandran?
7. what did ramachandran do to solve the problem of the pain in a phantom limb? why does ramachandran think that this technique worked?
8. what is synesthesia? why do ramachandran and other scientists believe that this occurs?
9. what does ramachandran refer to as the “holy grail” of neuroscience in the video? why is this referred to like that?
10. what are the three sections of the brain presented in “the human brain” presentation? what does each section do in the brain?
11. from the magicology website, what is magicology? why do scientists think that this may be in better understanding the human brain?
12. after reading through the case studies on the “phantom limb” website, what does having a phantom limb feel like for individuals who experience this? who generally experiences a phantom limb?
13. why do we sleep? what have studies on the brain shown us about why we might need sleep?
14. after trying the experiment on the “create a fake limb” page, where you or your friends able to create a fake limb? why are some people able to do this?
15. choose one mind illusion from “the secret life of the brain.” explain the illusion and why scientists think that it happens.

The brain is an astounding three-pound organ that regulates all functions of the body, evaluates information from the outside world, and completes the essence of the mind and soul. Intelligence, creativity, emotion, and memory are some of the many things commanded by the brain.

Ramachandran's initial research was on human optical perception applying psychophysical techniques to draw precise inferences about the brain mechanisms holding visual processing. In the early 1990s, Ramachandran began to concentrate on neurological syndromes such as phantom limbs, body integrity personality disorder and the Capgras delusion. He has also added to the understanding of synesthesia and is known for inventing the mirror box.  

Among the choice given, being a combination of minds is something that sounds more interesting. It also leads to Ramachandran's study of mirror neurons. In this condition one might be able to think with different perspectives rather than focusing on the one and the intelligence level will also be quite high. Though this seems bit impossible but with the scientific technology it can be be achieved in near future.

déjà vu is a feeling which makes you realise that what you're currently doing has previously happened. However, during this process, there is something your brain is attempting to tell you. Studying deja vu is more interesting as it can make you feel like you've identified someone, or been somewhere, in a past life, though it might be all in your head, according to science.

Capgras delusion is a psychiatric disease in which a person endures a delusion that a friend, spouse, parent, or other close family members (or pet) has been substituted by an indistinguishable impostor. People experience Capgras syndrome by a dilemma within the brain, like atrophy, lesions, or cerebral dysfunction.

A phantom limb is a sensation that an eliminated or missing part is still attached. About 60 to 80% of people with an amputation experience phantom sensations in their separated limb and the majority of the sensations are painful. Ramachandran suggested that phantom limb pain might be generated by changes in the brain — not, as most people thought, in the peripheral nerves near the phantom limb.

After recognising that phantom limb pain started in the brain and that the brain could be remapped — Ramachandran understood he needed to trick patients' brains into unlearning the pain connected with their phantom limbs. He named this phenomenon "learned pain or learned paralysis". Ramachandran found this method useful as he was expert in neuro-department so he thought tricking the brain would be easy.

Synesthesia is a state in which a sensory stimulus done in one modality provokes a sensation in a different modality. Researchers believe a kind of synesthesia exists in all our brains. For instance, we talk of certain smells of particular liquids--like nail polish--as being sweet, even though we have never tasted them. This might include the close neural links and cross activations.

The holy grail of neuroscience is understanding consciousness. In his tedtalk video, Ramachandran talks about how to study the brain? Look at patients with continued damage in the brain. This provides you with a highly selective non-function in one region while other functions are intact. This way you can obtain out what the circuitry is doing.

The brain is formed of the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brainstem.

Magicology is casting a spell on the mind. An incredible ability to control minds. Where one can manipulate people to an exceptional degree, drawing their consideration away from something and taking the benefit of that state. But scientists/ researchers consider it to be the best way to understand what's inside a person's brain/mind as they can get answers to all their questions while the patient is hypnotised.

answer; the correct answer is desert plants;