Consciousness is a complex and unresolved mystery in nature.
It involves awareness of surroundings and inner states.
Philosophers and scientists struggle to define or understand it.
Consciousness is distinct from intelligence, though related.
Evolution of Consciousness
Likely evolved through a long sequence of micro steps via natural selection.
Emerged from non-conscious to complex human consciousness.
Examples of Consciousness Progression
Inanimate Matter
Stone: Generally not considered conscious, though some panpsychists disagree.
Living Organisms
Trichopax adhaerens: Moves randomly but effectively to stay in food-rich areas without conscious direction.
Dugesia tigrina (worm): Moves based on its inner physiological state (hungry vs. sated) and uses chemoreceptors for scent direction.
Development of Sensory Perception
Vision adds a new dimension to awareness and helps locate food by creating a spatial sense.
Object permanence: Ability to understand objects continue to exist even when not visible, noted in mammals, birds, and even human babies by eight months.
Advanced Consciousness and Cognitive Skills
Memory: Enables distraction but a return to goal-directed behavior.
Sense of Time: Allows for anticipation of future events, as seen in delayed gratification examples (e.g., chickens and scrub jays).
Mind-reading and Empathy: Noted in scrub jays understanding potential threats to food caches.
Importance of Language
Enhances the ability to construct hypotheses, communicate, and reflect on self-awareness and consciousness.
Origin and Purpose of Consciousness
Likely started as directed motion towards food for survival advantages.
Even sophisticated human consciousness is rooted in the primal urge for food.
Additional Information
This is part of a three-part series on big questions about life and the universe.
Supported by the Templeton World Charity Foundation.
Further reading and video sources are available, including a free book by Rupert Glasgow.
Supports available through Patreon and poster purchases.