An Exploration of The Nature of Reality. Science and Metaphysics.

The Nature of Consciousness

The nature of consciousness is a complex philosophical and scientific challenge, with no universally accepted definition. However, a commonly accepted view is that consciousness involves awareness and the ability to think and perceive one's surroundings, requiring some degree of cognition. Key aspects include:

Subjective Experience: Sensations, thoughts, emotions, and perceptions—the "contents" of consciousness.
Awareness: Awareness of external stimuli and internal mental states, forming an "inner world."
Perception: Processing sensory information to create a coherent representation of the external world.
Self-awareness: Recognizing oneself as an individual separate from the environment and others.

The "Actual" Self vs. The "Real" Self

The "actual" self refers to your physical and mental processes, which exist whether or not you're conscious. The "real" self is your conscious experience, dependent on awareness. Without consciousness, mental processes still occur, but you don’t experience them.

Consciousness in Single-Celled Organisms

Virtually all single-celled organisms detect and respond to internal and external stimuli, carry out metabolic processes, grow, and reproduce. These functions are crucial for maintaining homeostasis, ensuring the organism's survival. However, cells do not possess consciousness or intention. They lack the ability to understand their environment, make decisions, or experience subjective states. Instead, their responses are governed by a complex interplay of physical, chemical, and biological processes.

Cellular Behavior and Response

For instance, cellular motility—the ability to move or cause movement—occurs either through internal mechanisms or in response to external cues. These actions are entirely programmed. Cells respond to stimuli in their environment, such as chemical signals or physical forces, through pre-defined molecular pathways. For example, receptors on the cell surface detect specific signals, triggering intracellular processes that dictate the cell's behavior. Despite the complexity of these responses, they are mechanistic rather than intentional.

Consciousness in Multicellular Organisms

Similarly, in multicellular organisms, many physiological processes occur without conscious input. Your heart beats rhythmically, driven by pacemaker cells, and your muscles contract reflexively in response to stimuli. These are automatic, programmed responses that do not require conscious intent.

Technological Entities and Consciousness

If we were to expand our definition of consciousness to include cells, we would have to account for technological entities like smartphones, which also respond to external inputs in complex, pre-programmed ways. Both operate based on deterministic mechanisms, but neither possesses the capacity for subjective awareness or intentionality.

The Evolution of Consciousness

Consciousness varies in complexity across species and individuals, evolving as a necessity for survival. The development of self-awareness and consciousness is closely related to mental fitness. Accurately perceiving the world, understanding one's own mental states, and improving decision-making based on this awareness can contribute to an individual's ability to survive, adapt and thrive in their environment. Non-living things do not resist entropy or maintain homeostasis, so they don’t require consciousness.

Panpsychism: A Critique

Panpsychism, the idea that all matter has consciousness, faces several critiques. It lacks empirical evidence, struggles to explain how simple "micro-consciousness" combines into complex awareness, and doesn't align with the emergent nature of consciousness observed in living systems. Non-living matter shows no signs of awareness or self-regulation, making the theory seem unnecessary and speculative.

Consciousness and the Brain

It is generally agreed upon by scientists and philosophers that consciousness is a product of complex biological systems, particularly the brain, and emerges from specific types of neural processing and information integration. Experiments have shown that changes in brain activity, particularly in certain regions and networks, can influence conscious experiences. Drugs, meditation, hypnosis, and neurological disorders can alter consciousness. Mind and body are inseparable. There is overwhelming empirical evidence to support this.

The Neural Network and Consciousness

Consciousness cannot be reduced to a single neuron or neural connection but emerges from the collective activity of specialized cells working together. The brain, spinal cord, and nerves form a central nervous system that processes, stores, and retrieves information through a network of neurons and chemical and electrical signals. The human brain contains around 100 billion neurons, forming complex networks where each neuron influences and is influenced by others.

Hierarchical Emergence of Consciousness

Consciousness appears as a single emergent effect but actually arises from multiple levels of organization within the brain's network. This concept, known as "hierarchical emergence," suggests that the subconscious consists of partially realized mental processes that occur below the level of conscious awareness. These subconscious processes influence our behavior and experiences without us being fully aware of them.

Self-Sensitivity in Neural Systems

This self-sensitivity of the neural network contributes to a sense of self and self-awareness. Information in the brain is continuously processed, reflected, and feedbacked upon itself. The brain constructs models of the self, refined through sensory feedback, contributing to self-understanding. Experiences, emotions, thoughts, and feelings are processed subjectively based on brain-interpreted information. A sense of self emerges from a self-sensitive neural system, where mental states are identical to specific brain states.

Perception of the Self

Neural activity contributes to the perception that an individual's existence transcends mere signaling. Through evolutionary processes or conditioning, individuals come to understand themselves as more than the sum of their biological components.