Do Conjoined Twins Share One Mind?

The New York Times recently highlighted Krista and Tatiana, conjoined twins unlike most other sets of twins. They are connected at their heads, where their skulls merge under a mass of shaggy brown bangs. The girls run and play and go down their backyard slide, but whatever they do, they do together, their heads forever inclined toward each other’s, their neck muscles strong and sinuous from a never-ending workout.

In what ways does this shape our understanding of personhood and humanity? If they do share one mind, should we think of these as two persons or one, and why?