--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I became just a brain in a jar - as…" description: "\"If I became just a brain in a jar - as long as I can communicate back and forth with people, that would be okay with me.\" — Atul Gawande" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/atul-gawande-1871_back-and-forth_if-i-became-just-a-brain-in-a-jar-as-lon_564420.png" --- # If I became just a brain in a jar - as long as I can… ![“If I became just a brain in a jar - as long as I can communicate back and forth with people, that would be okay with me.” quote by Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/atul-gawande-1871_back-and-forth_if-i-became-just-a-brain-in-a-jar-as-lon_564420.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/atul-gawande-1871_back-and-forth_if-i-became-just-a-brain-in-a-jar-as-lon_564420.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/atul-gawande-1871_back-and-forth_if-i-became-just-a-brain-in-a-jar-as-lon_564420.png) > “If I became just a brain in a jar - as long as I can communicate back and forth with people, that would be okay with me.” [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker would accept a disembodied consciousness if communication with others remains possible. **In simple terms:** Acceptable if communication persists. Key Takeaway Value connection over physical form. Themes philosophy identity technology Mood contemplative neutral Type philosophical speculative When to use this quote - virtual reality - AI chatbots - remote collaboration - telepresence Key Concepts consciousness mind-body problem communication Questions to Reflect On - What defines personal identity? - Can communication replace embodiment? A Different Perspective May overlook ethical concerns of isolation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Back and forth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/back-and-forth/) [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Brain Jar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain-jar-696846/) [Communicate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communicate/) [Communicate Forth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communicate-forth-4672674/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Jars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jars/) [Just Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-brain-829366/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long Communicate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-communicate-4672675/) [Okay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/okay/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [He hung up on her. She'd just been hung up on by a disembodied brain in a jar. Fantastic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/he-hung-up-on-her-she-d-just-been-hung-up-on-by-a-disembodied-brain/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [When I was 10 years old, a cousin of mine took me on a tour of his medical school. And as a special treat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aditi-shankardass/when-i-was-10-years-old-a-cousin-of-mine-took-me-on-a-tour-of-his/) [Aditi Shankardass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aditi-shankardass/) > [If I had my druthers, I would be a brain in a jar, with a burlap skirt around the cart I'm on - I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-mckinnon/if-i-had-my-druthers-i-would-be-a-brain-in-a-jar-with-a-burlap-skirt/) [Kate McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-mckinnon/) > [“Are you smarter than my brain in a jar? Have a pickle while you ponder it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/are-you-smarter-than-my-brain-in-a-jar-have-a-pickle-while-you-ponder/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Just because you have a brain doesn't mean you are conscious; just because you are alive doesn't mean you have a brain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lawsin/just-because-you-have-a-brain-doesn-t-mean-you-are-conscious-just/) [Joey Lawsin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-lawsin/) > [The mind, of course, is just what the brain does for a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-begley/the-mind-of-course-is-just-what-the-brain-does-for-a-living/) [Sharon Begley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-begley/) > [Once I learned how to talk, personally, by myself to any number of people, which means do radio without talking to anyone in particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-maron/once-i-learned-how-to-talk-personally-by-myself-to-any-number-of/) [Marc Maron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-maron/) > [Just give the brain the information and it will figure it out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eagleman/just-give-the-brain-the-information-and-it-will-figure-it-out/) [David Eagleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eagleman/) > [Its okay to follow your heart just take your brain with you!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-okay-to-follow-your-heart-just-take-your-brain-with-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Just because it's your brain does not mean it's on your side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-sincero/just-because-it-s-your-brain-does-not-mean-it-s-on-your-side/) [Jen Sincero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-sincero/) > [“That’s just how my brain works: words of wisdom are produced at random intervals, and always in times of great despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabel-den-dekker/that-s-just-how-my-brain-works-words-of-wisdom-are-produced-at-random/) [Annabel den Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabel-den-dekker/) > [We have to study with our warm heart, not just with our brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/we-have-to-study-with-our-warm-heart-not-just-with-our-brain/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [“Simon LeVay, “The mind is just the brain doing its job.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-disalvo/simon-levay-the-mind-is-just-the-brain-doing-its-job/) [David DiSalvo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-disalvo/) > [I think my work comes out of both an intense desire for connection and what it means to feel isolated. There's always going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/i-think-my-work-comes-out-of-both-an-intense-desire-for-connection/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [He should release the tax returns tomorrow. It's crazy. You've got to release six, eight, ten years back tax returns. Take the hit for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kristol/he-should-release-the-tax-returns-tomorrow-it-s-crazy-you-ve-got-to/) [William Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kristol/) ## More by Atul Gawande > [Don’t let yourself be. Find something new to try, something to change. Count how often it succeeds and how often it doesn’t. Write about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/don-t-let-yourself-be-find-something-new-to-try-something-to-change/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“Wilson spent several days camped out in one government office after another until she had secured an exemption. Unbelievably, she and her husband cleared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/wilson-spent-several-days-camped-out-in-one-government-office-after/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [What is needed, however, isn't just that people working together be nice to each other. It is discipline. Discipline is hard--harder than trustworthiness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/what-is-needed-however-isn-t-just-that-people-working-together-be/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“8. 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When you are young and healthy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/how-we-seek-to-spend-our-time-may-depend-on-how-much-time-we-perceive/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“I cannot pretend he escaped unscathed. The extended period of low blood pressure damaged an optic nerve and left him essentially blind in one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/i-cannot-pretend-he-escaped-unscathed-the-extended-period-of-low/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [The battle of being mortal is the battle to maintain the integrity of one’s life,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/the-battle-of-being-mortal-is-the-battle-to-maintain-the-integrity-of/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“an average of $94,000 during the last year of life with a metastatic breast cancer. Our medical system is excellent at trying to stave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/an-average-of-94-000-during-the-last-year-of-life-with-a-metastatic/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“we need practice to get good at what we do. There is one difference in medicine, though: it is people we practice upon.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/we-need-practice-to-get-good-at-what-we-do-there-is-one-difference-in/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [People underestimate the importance of dilligence as a virtue. No doubt it has something to do with how supremely mundane it seems. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/people-underestimate-the-importance-of-dilligence-as-a-virtue-no/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [Developing a skill is painful, though. It is difficult. And that's part of the satisfaction. You will only find meaning in what you struggle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/developing-a-skill-is-painful-though-it-is-difficult-and-that-s-part/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [Just look at the list of who the lowest-paid people are. Pediatricians are at the bottom. You would also look at internists. You would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/just-look-at-the-list-of-who-the-lowest-paid-people-are-pediatricians/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“When Felix came to this crossroads, the orthopedic shoe to drop wasn’t his. It was Bella’s. Year by year, I witnessed the progression in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/when-felix-came-to-this-crossroads-the-orthopedic-shoe-to-drop-wasn-t/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) [Explore all 200 Atul Gawande quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) ## More Back and forth quotes > [He should release the tax returns tomorrow. It's crazy. You've got to release six, eight, ten years back tax returns. Take the hit for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kristol/he-should-release-the-tax-returns-tomorrow-it-s-crazy-you-ve-got-to/) [William Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kristol/) > [I think my work comes out of both an intense desire for connection and what it means to feel isolated. There's always going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/i-think-my-work-comes-out-of-both-an-intense-desire-for-connection/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [It is an intimately communicative affair between the painter and his painting, a conversation back and forth, the painting telling the painter even as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/it-is-an-intimately-communicative-affair-between-the-painter-and-his/) [Ben Shahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/) > [Belief in oneself is a crucial quality of leadership, because 'a house divided against itself cannot stand.' A leader who fluctuates back and forth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-beth-jones/belief-in-oneself-is-a-crucial-quality-of-leadership-because-a-house/) [Laurie Beth Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-beth-jones/) > [CS: I always say there's a tribal element in a rock concert. There's a real back-and-forth thing that goes on between the audience and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-stein/cs-i-always-say-there-s-a-tribal-element-in-a-rock-concert-there-s-a/) [Chris Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-stein/) > [I'm a southern girl, and I grew up with this slightly schizophrenic upbringing where I bounced back and forth between Atlanta, Georgia, and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-myracle/i-m-a-southern-girl-and-i-grew-up-with-this-slightly-schizophrenic/) [Lauren Myracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-myracle/) > [Originally, one of the reasons I was drawn to photography, as opposed to painting or sculpture or installation, is that of all the arts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-crewdson/originally-one-of-the-reasons-i-was-drawn-to-photography-as-opposed/) [Gregory Crewdson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-crewdson/) > [Until presence becomes your predominant state, you may find yourself moving back and forth for a while between the old consciousness and the new,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/until-presence-becomes-your-predominant-state-you-may-find-yourself/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Real communication is an attitude, an environment. It is the most interactive of all processes. It requires countless hours of eyeball to eyeball, back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/real-communication-is-an-attitude-an-environment-it-is-the-most/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) > [People jump back and forth in pursuit of pleasures only because they see the emptiness of their lives more clearly than they do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/people-jump-back-and-forth-in-pursuit-of-pleasures-only-because-they/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [How long were the stretches of toilsome tacking back and forth, of being blocked, of being thrown back again and again. But all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathe-kollwitz/how-long-were-the-stretches-of-toilsome-tacking-back-and-forth-of/) [Kathe Kollwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathe-kollwitz/) > [The relationship with the words someone uses is more intimate and integrated than just a quick read and a blurb can ever be. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/the-relationship-with-the-words-someone-uses-is-more-intimate-and/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [ One day he \[Wagner\] was batting against a young pitcher who had just come into the league. 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