Rethinking consciousness: There are many different worldviews and theories for why it is that consciousness exists. Which is the correct answer?
Consciousness is something that is as familiar to us as it is mysterious and no one knows why it is that consciousness even exists at all. In my opinion, David Chalmers has the best way of tackling problems with consciousness. I believe the way he thinks about consciousness and anything related to it is how every scientist should think about it, but I understand that differences of opinions are needed on it for there to be any irrefutable evidence. But considering Chalmers’ ‘Hard Problem’. He is right. It’s not about what consciousness is nor even where it is. That’s the ‘Easy Problem’, however still very difficult to figure out, but we’ll get there eventually.. The ‘HARD PROBLEM’ that we may never figure out is WHY is it that we are conscious in the first place? Why does consciousness exist at all? “I think, therefore I am” doesn’t seem to be good enough for any scientist. Doesn’t matter what field of science because it can’t prove that anybody other than the subjective conscious observer is conscious instead of just a mindless zombie. So here are a few worldviews that present different theories as to WHY it is that consciousness exists.
Solipsism: There’s no objective way of confirming consciousness or refuting it. That’s really the “thing” about consciousness and why the worldview of solipsism, that says that nothing and no one exists but the subjective percieving human is so heavily critisized in the scientific community yet still not falsified completely.
Panpsychism: There is the panpsychist worldview that says EVERYTHING is conscious. Not just living breathing subjectively percieving animals and plants, but objects of man-made creation too. The objectives are even conscious to a panpsychist, which you can probably tell for yourself would raise some pretty serious ethical questions and consequences if everything is conscious to a panpsychist.
Dualism: Then you have the dualists which say both the outer world (Macro) and the inner world (Micro) exist, which is the experience all humans have of the Universe and consciousness, yet something still consciously feels wrong about it. This is the worldview currently in place as a “common” truth. Not THE TRUTH, but the truth that won the numbers game, truth. For now, this is what we all go with as a majority when it comes to consciousness and what it experiences, yet despite being the majority worldview, it’s not very well-recieved by the scientific community these days due to quantum physics.
Materialism: Many materialists and atheists outright deny consciousness even exists. But I say that’s the worst theory of all when it comes to consciousness because it’s self-refuting. They wouldn’t even be able to say that at all without consciousness. Well, they’d be able to say it but not insistently believe in it. They can’t not consciously say it, is what I mean. You see an artificially intelligent machine can say that but they can’t consciously say it. As in be completely aware it is saying it. Whereas a human, no matter how materialistic or atheistic they are, cannot. So it is a self-refuting saying and certainly a self-refuting worldview. So that’s definetly out of the question for me, however it is a theory that’s unfortunately well-accepted in the scientific community, especially by physicists and cosmologists.
Virtualism: There’s another worldview that is almost as critisized in the scientific community as solipsism is, as it postulates a theory that seems a lot like it but is actually nothing like it. The theory of the Universe being virtual or simulated is a Westenized take on the Ancient estorical and Eastern religions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Taoism (more commonly known as spiritualism or nondualism or yin-yang)… This theory is the best I have come across to explain at least the emergent phenomena that is existence itself. It says that the ENTIRE Universe is holographic and projected by the conscious observer, however the conscious observer isn’t conscious of it. The conscious observer is entirely oblivious to it’s own capability to create and determine the world that appears to be around it and is so convinced by it that it believes it to be 100% real instead of just an illusion created and projected by it’s own percieving sensory channels and it’s five physical senses. This one is so extremely well thought out that it’s hard not to believe in it or feel that it is correct.
I personally take the simulation or virtual reality worldview but not through binary codes and algorithms, which is the way computers function. That sounds like they’re saying the brain is a computer, at least from the way the Western world has interpreted the theory. I more so believe in the simulation theory the way it was originally thought by the Ancient civilizations and Eastern religions. Nonduality, spiritualism or yin-yang, which says EVERYTHING is energy and information created and determined by EVERYTHING. The Universe is created and determined by what is comprised of itself. Meaning absolutely everything that could ever be in existence that is conscious in some way, shape or form … or even nonform. Planets, stars, humans, animals, mammals, insects, plants, backteria, spirits… and yes… even aliens and angels and multi-dimensional beings. To me it makes so much sense that the conscious observer creates and determines the material world through it’s ability to concieve, percieve and recieve a world at all, and then the spiritual essence of what the conscious observer really is behind it’s material body is what creates the conscious observer. This worldview and theory does not seem to have any way to refute it at all, as it says that consciousness is the ONLY eternal existence. The ONE existence. It says that consciousness is GOD! That also means that if it is consciousness itself that is God… then all conscious observers are God. You can’t refute that because we’re all conscious. You can’t say that you’re not at least a part of God if you take the view that God created you because that means that consciousness creates consciousness and continues to do so for all of eternity, whatsoever and wheresoever there is conscious existence anytime or anywhere or anyhow! … Otherwise there would be no life creation at all. A self-aware existence that creates self-aware existence. A self-aware Universe. For me that definetly seems the most plausible theory and although followed and practiced throughout the ages by many different Ancient civilizations and Eastern religions, there’s no dogma from religion involved in it at all. Not when you think about it properly. You’re not saying that anything that can’t be experienced exists. You’re saying that conciousness itself is existence. So for me, because I take on this theory of why I am conscious, “I think, therefore I am” is a perfectly fufilling and justifiable answer to this frustrating question that’s been well overdue for an undeniable explanation. I am 100% happy with it!
Which worldview and theory do you believe is best or correct? If you have another or even your own theory for why consciousness exists, don’t be afraid to express it in the comments. I’d love to know. Let’s get a debate going, shall we? :)