What is Consciousness

Consciousness is the subjective awareness of ourselves and our environment, encompassing thoughts, feelings, sensations, and memories. It's a complex, abstract concept with no single definition, understood variously as our capacity for self-awareness, attention, processing information, and making choices. Defining consciousness involves understanding its "what" (its features), "how" (its basis), and "why" (its purpose).

What is consciousness?

Awareness: A state of being aware of oneself and the world, including internal states like feelings and thoughts and external information from the senses.
Subjective Experience: The unique, personal, and qualitative aspect of experience, such as the feeling of seeing a color or tasting a food.
Information Processing: The brain's ability to take in, organize, and process information from multiple sources to make sense of and respond to the world.
Self-Awareness: The ability to think about one's own thoughts, understand oneself as a conscious being, and recognize one's place in the world.

Why is it difficult to define consciousness?

Abstract Nature: Consciousness is not a tangible thing that can be held or seen, making it hard to find concrete words to describe.
The "Hard Problem": Philosopher David Chalmers coined this term to describe the challenge of explaining how subjective, qualitative experiences (the feeling of "what it is like") arise from physical processes in the brain.
Differing Perspectives: Different disciplines offer different interpretations, leading to diverse viewpoints.

Different Views on Consciousness:

Psychology: Views consciousness as awareness of oneself and one's environment, including thoughts, memories, and feelings.
Philosophy: Explores consciousness through debates like dualism (mind and body are separate) versus materialism (consciousness is a product of the brain).
Neuroscience: Seeks to identify neural correlates—brain activity patterns—that correspond to conscious experiences.

Functions of Consciousness:

Information Processing: To take in and organize data from the senses and other sources.
Decision-Making: To choose actions and set priorities for behavior.
Learning and Adaptation: To learn from experiences and adapt to new situations.
Social Interaction: To understand and predict the behavior of others and to navigate social environments.

Scientific View

According to most scientists, consciousness is primarily subjective awareness, the inner world of personal experience, sensations, and thoughts, though there is no single agreed-upon definition or scientific explanation for how the brain generates it. Key aspects include subjective experience (the qualitative "what it's like" of an experience), its relationship to brain activity, and the challenge of reconciling the subjective nature of consciousness with objective scientific study.

Key Aspects of Consciousness:

Subjective Experience: The core of consciousness is the personal, first-person experience of the world, such as seeing the color red or feeling an emotion.
Relationship to the Brain: Consciousness is understood to be fundamentally linked to the brain's activity and networks, particularly the neocortex.
The "Hard Problem": A major challenge is explaining how physical brain processes create these subjective, qualitative experiences, known as the "hard problem of consciousness".

Leading Theories on How Consciousness Arises:

Integrated Information Theory (IIT): Proposes that consciousness emerges from the way a system integrates information, suggesting that the more integrated information a system can process, the more conscious it is.
Global Neuronal Workspace Theory (GNWT): Suggests consciousness arises when information is selected and broadcast to a "global workspace" in the brain, making it available to various processing centers and creating a unified conscious experience.

Challenges in Studying Consciousness:

Objectivity vs. Subjectivity: Traditional scientific methods are objective (third-person), while consciousness is a subjective (first-person) phenomenon, creating a fundamental gap in how to study it.
Neural Correlates: Much of the scientific effort focuses on identifying Neural Correlates of Consciousness (NCCs)—the minimal neural activity associated with a particular conscious experience—rather than explaining the experience itself.

In summary, while scientists generally agree that consciousness involves subjective awareness and is tied to brain activity, the precise nature and mechanisms of consciousness remain one of the most profound mysteries in contemporary science.

Jung's Theory on Consciousness

Carl Jung posited that human consciousness, centered in the ego, operates alongside a universal, collective unconscious containing inherited archetypes common to all humans, forming a deep psychic layer shared across humanity. The ultimate goal, individuation, involves realizing the Self—the totality of the psyche—by integrating the personal and collective unconscious into consciousness, creating a holistic individual that contributes to a greater universal whole, not a loss of ego into a formless universal consciousness.

Human consciousness vs. Universal

Human (Personal) Consciousness: This is the individual's ego-bound consciousness, focused on their unique identity and personal experiences.
Universal (Collective) Unconscious: This is a deeper, universal layer of the psyche, inherited and identical in all people. It is a shared reservoir of psychic potential, holding archetypes—universal symbols and patterns of experience that shape how humans understand the world and themselves.

The Process of Individuation

Integration: Jung believed in bringing the contents of the unconscious, particularly the collective unconscious, into consciousness through practices like dream analysis and active imagination.
The Self: Individuation is the process of realizing the Self, which represents the totality of one's psyche, encompassing both conscious and unconscious aspects.
Holistic Wholeness: Jung's work suggests that the individual's journey toward self-realization through individuation is a step toward bridging the gap between the personal and the universal, leading to a more complete and whole human being rather than a merging into a formless universal consciousness.

Distinction from Spiritual Mysticism

While Jung recognized experiences of oneness, he saw "universal consciousness" in some mystical traditions as a state where the unconscious has overwhelmed the ego, a state of unconsciousness rather than true consciousness.
For Jung, individuation is a dynamic process of integrating the unconscious into the conscious ego, not a static achievement of a dissolved self.

Joseph Campbell's Views on Consciousness

Joseph Campbell viewed consciousness as having two dimensions: the individual, ego-bound consciousness and a universal, transcendent consciousness shared by all of humanity. He believed that the purpose of myth was to serve as a bridge between these two realms, guiding individuals toward a deeper, more profound awareness.

Human vs. universal consciousness

Human consciousness is a vehicle: Campbell saw the human body and ego as a "vehicle of consciousness," much like a light bulb holds and focuses electricity. Your personal, day-to-day consciousness is limited by your experiences, your biology, and the cultural frameworks you inhabit. It is attached to the "passing moment" and its concerns, such as self-preservation and social status.
Universal consciousness is the ground of being: This is the "ultimate mystery," a source of being that transcends all thought, words, and individual form. Known by various names across different traditions—Brahman in Hinduism, the Tao in Taoism—this universal consciousness is the timeless, infinite source from which all life and energy emerge. Campbell saw the entire cosmos as an expression of this underlying consciousness.
Transformation of consciousness: The process of maturing is a transformation of consciousness. A person must die to their limiting ego-self and "rejoin" the larger, undifferentiated universal consciousness. Campbell called this "the heroic transformation of consciousness," a heroic act of moving beyond self-preservation to a state of wider compassion and awareness.

Myth and the bridge between realms

Campbell believed that myths serve as vital maps for this transformative journey, providing a symbolic language to navigate the boundary between the known, human world and the transcendent, universal one.

Metaphorical language: Myths use symbols and metaphors to express truths that cannot be fully captured in words. They are clues to the spiritual potential of human life, reflecting the "ultimate mystery" that underpins existence.
Drawing from the collective unconscious: Drawing heavily from Carl Jung, Campbell argued that myths are manifestations of archetypes from the collective unconscious, a common humanity built into our nervous systems. These universal patterns and images appear independently across diverse cultures because they tap into a shared, deep reservoir of human experience.
Awakening spiritual potential: By engaging with mythic narratives and rituals, individuals can awaken their own inner spiritual potential. The hero's journey, in particular, is a symbolic map of this process, moving from the ego-bound world into the depths of the unconscious and returning with new wisdom.
Experience of being alive: The ultimate goal is not just intellectual understanding, but a felt "experience of being alive" in which one's personal life resonates with their deepest, universal reality. By following one's "bliss"—the path that awakens this inner rapture—individuals can bring their human consciousness into alignment with the universal consciousness from which it came.

The Mystical View

The mystical about human and universal consciousness involves the profound understanding that individual human minds are interconnected expressions of a single, fundamental, universal consciousness or "ocean of energy" that underlies all of existence. This unified consciousness provides a non-physical basis for all matter and energy, creating a sense of interconnectedness and oneness with the cosmos that transcends the illusion of individual separation, as described in traditions like Hinduism and spiritual concepts of a shared awareness.

Human Consciousness: An Individual Spark

A "Drop" in the "Ocean": The human mind, with its thoughts and feelings, is viewed as a single, individualized drop within the vast, infinite ocean of universal consciousness.
Illusion of Separation: The feeling of being a distinct and separate self is considered an "optical delusion" of consciousness, masking the underlying unity of all things, according to traditions like Hinduism.
Depth Beyond Thought: Human intelligence is characterized by thoughts and beliefs, but the mystical aspect points to a deeper, natural intelligence and awareness that does not require thinking.

Universal Consciousness: The Source of All

Fundamental Reality: Universal consciousness is the fundamental reality, the metaphysical essence from which all existence emerges.
Underlying Energy: It's an infinite ocean of energy, with everything in the universe—from planets to humans—being different manifestations of this energy in various forms and vibrations.
Source of Connection: It serves as the source of all forms of intelligence and awareness, providing the unified, interconnected foundation for the entire universe.

The Mystical Experience: The Bridge Between the Two

Oneness and Ecstasy: The core spiritual experience in mysticism is a sense of unity or oneness with the universe, often accompanied by feelings of overwhelming ecstasy and profound love.
Transcending the Individual: This experience involves a dissolution of the individual ego and a direct, intuitive understanding of the interconnectedness of all things, leading to spiritual insight.
A Deeper Knowing: It's a state where the individual consciousness merges with the collective or universal consciousness, symbolizing a deeper understanding of reality and one's place within it.

Do Animals Have Consciousness

Yes, scientists widely agree that many animals possess consciousness, with declarations like the Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness stating that humans are not unique in having neurological substrates for conscious states. Evidence indicates that mammals, birds, and many other creatures, including octopuses, fish, and even some insects, exhibit behaviors like planning, memory, and empathy that suggest consciousness. While the subjective experience of consciousness is difficult to define universally, the scientific consensus is that consciousness is not exclusive to humans and is present in a broad spectrum of the animal kingdom.

Evidence for Animal Consciousness

Neuroanatomical and Neurophysiological Substrates: The Cambridge Declaration highlights that non-human animals possess the neural structures and functions necessary for consciousness.
Intentional Behaviors: Animals display behaviors such as tool use, problem-solving, and complex social interactions that indicate intentionality, a key aspect of consciousness.
Emotional and Social Awareness: Studies show that animals can experience and display emotions like empathy and anxiety. Research on ravens indicates they have a theory of mind, suggesting they can understand the intentions and knowledge of others.
Memory and Planning: Animals, such as chimpanzees, exhibit episodic memory and demonstrate planning abilities, which require conscious thought.

Key Declarations and Findings

Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness (2012): This international group of scientists affirmed that non-human animals, including mammals and birds, possess the neurological underpinnings for consciousness.
New York Declaration on Animal Consciousness (2024): This declaration reaffirmed the strong scientific support for consciousness in birds and mammals, with a high probability of it existing in all vertebrates and many invertebrates.

What This Means for Animal Welfare

The emerging science of animal consciousness has significant implications for how humans interact with other animals. The scientific consensus suggests it is irresponsible to ignore the possibility of conscious experience in animals when making decisions that affect them, necessitating consideration for their welfare.

Is There A Plant Consciousness

Recent research on plant sentience and cognition reveals a deepening scientific debate, with no evidence for consciousness but advanced findings on plant communication and intelligence. The conversation is driven by some researchers who advocate for a new understanding of plant capabilities, while most plant biologists remain skeptical due to the lack of a nervous system.

Arguments for plant consciousness

Proponents of plant consciousness, primarily in the field of plant neurobiology, point to a range of complex plant behaviors as evidence of cognitive capacities. These researchers often argue for a re-evaluation of what constitutes consciousness, suggesting it does not require a centralized brain.

Complex communication: Plants communicate through a complex network using chemical and electrical signals.
- Through the air, they release volatile organic compounds to warn neighbors of a threat, such as an herbivore attack.
- Underground, they use vast fungal networks, sometimes called the "wood-wide web," to transfer nutrients and alarm signals to other plants, including kin.
Memory and learning: Experiments suggest that plants can remember and learn from past events.
- The Venus flytrap, for instance, "counts" the number of times its trigger hairs are touched before snapping shut, learning to distinguish between prey and a false alarm.
- Some plants can remember intervals between pollinator visits and adjust their nectar production accordingly.
Decision-making: Plants demonstrate complex, flexible decision-making based on integrated environmental information, rather than merely hardwired responses.
- Experiments with pea plants show they can assess risk and choose resource allocation strategies depending on nutrient availability.
Vibrational hearing: Studies show that plants can perceive and react to specific vibrations.
- One study found that flowers produce sweeter nectar in response to vibrations mimicking a bee's flight.
- The Arabidopsis plant can distinguish between vibrations from a chewing caterpillar and other sounds, and initiates defensive chemical production only when needed.

Skepticism and counterarguments

The vast majority of plant biologists reject claims of plant consciousness, arguing that complex behaviors do not equate to subjective experience. Critics argue that proponents of plant consciousness use unproven interpretations and misleading, anthropomorphic terminology.

No central nervous system: A key argument is that plants lack the anatomical and functional complexity of the animal brain and nervous system, which is believed to be a requirement for consciousness.
Physiological explanations: Complex plant behaviors can be explained physiologically, without invoking consciousness. What may appear as "decision-making" is more likely a series of preprogrammed chemical reactions triggered by environmental stimuli.
Electrical signals vs. consciousness: While plants produce electrical signals, the function and speed are significantly different from the electrical signaling in animal neurons. These signals appear to serve more direct physiological functions, not complex, integrated information processing.
No evidence of subjective experience: Consciousness is defined as having a subjective, "felt" experience of the world. No empirical evidence has shown that plants have internal experiences, emotions, or feelings.
Scientific critique: A recent critical review published in 2024 evaluated the evidence for plant sentience and argued that behavioral and physiological similarities to sentient organisms are not sufficient indicators of consciousness.