The case against mental duality

The arguments for and against Puccetti’s (1981a) notion of “mental duality” are reviewed. This model of mind asserts that not only do commissurotomy patients have two independent spheres of consciousness but so do normal intact brains. The role of the corpus callosum is viewed as being purely duplicative, not integrative. Following a detailed discussion of conceptual and terminological issues, neuropsychological and neuroanatomical considerations, and various clinical implications of the model, it is concluded that the available empirical evidence refutes the model and that the model is conceptually inadequate.