"Once brain-computer interfaces are developed for the masses, are we going to need the plodding "consciousness" part of our brains at all?"
Unless you want to be some kind of dumb terminal or router I would think so. Well maybe not to process & store sensory input, but how else would you be able to experience it?
As for the claims of the article, seeing as they say up to 10 seconds I don't have any problems with believing it. I think it only probably applies to certain types of decisions, say getting off the couch to get food. There's no way it can be true for every decision you make, you can't decide 7 seconds up front to hit the brakes & not run someone over for example.
Also, from the article:
"Our study shows that decisions are unconsciously prepared much longer ahead than previously thought. But we do not know yet where the final decision is made. We need to investigate whether a decision prepared by these brain areas can still be reversed."
So you still may be able to backtrack on your subconscious anyway.
Unless you want to be some kind of dumb terminal or router I would think so. Well maybe not to process & store sensory input, but how else would you be able to experience it?
As for the claims of the article, seeing as they say up to 10 seconds I don't have any problems with believing it. I think it only probably applies to certain types of decisions, say getting off the couch to get food. There's no way it can be true for every decision you make, you can't decide 7 seconds up front to hit the brakes & not run someone over for example.
Also, from the article:
So you still may be able to backtrack on your subconscious anyway.