HomeScienceWhy are we conscious? The answer lies in other animals’

Why are we conscious? The answer lies in other animals’


master mentalism tricks

It’s easy to think human conscious experience is unique, but a better understanding of consciousness’s mysteries comes by tracing it back in the evolutionary tree

Humans 17 November 2021

By Alison George

Shutterstock/Jolygon

THE smell of coffee, the blue of the sky, the anticipation of seeing a loved one: it is impossible to imagine our lives without the vivid conscious experiences of our every waking moment. And yet they have vexed philosophers for centuries. “The nature of consciousness is extraordinarily difficult to define,” says Eva Jablonka at Tel Aviv University in Israel.

It was once thought of as an immaterial force, a “ghost in the machine” separate from physical reality. Today, however, many neuroscientists argue that our felt experience is simply the product of our brain’s inner workings. That makes the question of “why?” loom large. Many actions controlled by the brain occur unconsciously, beneath the level of our awareness. Why make exceptions?

Grasping this means thinking outside our own box, says Anil Seth at the University of Sussex, UK. “Human consciousness is not the only form of being conscious,” he says. We tend to emphasise conscious experiences that make us think we are better and smarter than other animals, like our ability to recognise ourselves in a mirror, he says. “This is not very helpful.”

The absolute fundamental of consciousness – having an actual experience of things – is something seemingly shared by many other organisms. “In my view, there are grades and varieties of awareness, and there is no principled dividing line about which – SHAZAM! – the light of consciousness is turned on,” says Daniel Dennett at Tufts University in Massachusetts.

With a broader view of consciousness, we can look back along the tree of life to get an …

Read The Full Article Here


trick photography
Advertisingfutmillion

Popular posts

‘Spy Kids’ Return With First ‘Armageddon’ Trailer
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio Gets a 4K Blu-ray Criterion Release
The Hunger Games Special Screenings Announced Ahead of The Ballad
Cult DIY Horror Vampires and Other Stereotypes Gets a Special
‘RHONY’ Cast Calls Out Closed-Off Jenna Lyons in Sneak Peek
‘Scott Pilgrim Takes Off’ Team on Reuniting the Film Cast
‘The Challenge: USA’: Monte Reveals Injury & Blow-up You Didn’t
Winning Time Canceled at HBO
ASCAP’s Annual ‘We Write the Songs’ Concert Draws Jam &
Nirvana Reissuing In Utero With 2 Unreleased Live Albums for
Van Halen’s Michael Anthony Sells California Home for $1
Steel Panther announce December 2023 US tour
The Evolution of Concert Dressing, Fashion’s Most Entertaining Trend
10 Cute Old Navy Jackets to Carry You Through Fall
Taylor Swift Outfits Eras Tour: Her Best Eras Tour Looks
Sorry, Jeans—I’m Wearing These 6 Pretty Skirt Trends This Summer
Queer Superhero History: Mystique
Halloween Romance Books to Read this Spooky Season
8 Skin-Crawling Horror Books About Our Obsession with Beauty
What to Expect From Highly Anticipated “Lessons in Chemistry” Adaptation
Turning mixed plastic into useful chemicals
Earth’s biggest cache of pink diamonds formed in the breakup
Polymer that can be adapted to high and low temperature
What Color Is the Sun?
A Summer of Record Heat Deals Costly Damage to Texas
Nintendo Reportedly Gave Private Switch 2 Demos to Developers
Your New Car Is a Privacy Nightmare
iPhone 15, iPhone 16 Tipped to Use Qualcomm Modems: Details