Consciousness and soul: what will neurointerfaces add?

The perennial questions concerning the meaning of our existence in this world and the nature of our subjective perceptions (i.e., the nature of the soul) concern both the scientists and religious thinkers. Neuroscientific studies are currently on the rise on the mechanisms of consciousness. Although these approaches remain in line with “vulgar materialism” and are unlikely to give an answer to the hard problem of consciousness (i.e. the problem of the existence of the soul), new, interesting results and new problems should be expected from this research. In this regard, the development of brain-computer interfaces, i.e. systems that connect to the brain in order to read and deliver information, should have a significant impact on our understanding of the mechanisms of conscious and unconscious processes in the brain. Indeed, over the past two decades, many types of brain-computer interfaces have been developed that record and interpret motor, sensory and cognitive information contained in the brain. Brain-computer interfaces also have the capacity to create artificial sensations by stimulating sensory areas of the nervous system. Moreover, brain-computer interfaces have been developed that connect to multiple brains simultaneously and support communication between people and cooperative solution of various problems. Whether or not brain-computer interfaces will have an impact on the religious sphere is an open question, but we can assume that yes, they would, since brain-computer interfaces have already entered the education and art. This review focuses on the principles of brain-computer interfaces. A speculation is made regarding the contribution of brain-computer interfaces to our understanding of consciousness and soul.