Exploring the Essence of Consciousness (1)

Have you ever wondered what consciousness is? Where did it come from and whether it is an indestructible or perishable energy? Is it individual or collective? Many versions like a fractal? No shreds of evidence so far. So the only way is to explore more about its essence.

Consciousness means being “aware” of everything we feel and everything around us as the saying goes: “I think, therefore I am”.

This poor definition, however, barely scratches the surface of the complexity that surrounds consciousness. Defining it, therefore, is as complicated as trying to conceptualize God or explain death, among other unsolvable mysteries, as I've already mentioned in the last two articles.

By the way, if we manage to “discover” what consciousness is, all the mysteries will certainly be solved.

Defining something unique is almost impossible because consciousness differs from organism to organism, no matter their function in the environment!

Consciousness is unique like the DNA or a fingerprint

For instance, how to conceptualize according to human paradigms, something like the consciousness of an animal, a plant, an insect, or a microorganism? Furthermore, what if we have to do the same regarding the IA's consciousness?

Thus, this challenge is almost impossible to be fulfilled. Besides we'd need to find out what consciousness looks like (if it does have any shape, of course). Is it like a photon (kind of an “orb”), a gas, or a liquid, or it is something invisible, an energy and therefore intangible like air?

The dual nature of consciousness

As consciousness is dual and hence is fed with sensory (subjective) and material (objective) experiences, it is either positive or negative. This universal principle of duality therefore means that we are endowed with ambiguous emotions, such as:

• joy/sadness

• pleasure/pain

• love/hate

• fear/courage, etc.

So when consciousness interacts with objective reality, it allows us to feel the material world through our senses and cognitive processes.

Brain: responsible for our objective experiences

Chemical substances are produced by the brain, like neurotransmitters, which may influence our mood, physical and mental disposition, as well as other emotional-related responses. For instance, an increase in serotonin levels will improve feelings of well-being. On the other hand, an increase in dopamine production will also increase motivation, and sharpen focus, among other benefits. A lack of these substances, of course, will have the opposite effect.

Consciousness: responsible for our subjective experiences

For the development of our mental processes, consciousness would be a kind of bridge linking the internal world of the mind - the senses - with the external world of matter - the physical Universe.

The Philosopher Benedict Espinoza, who lived in the 17th century, unlike the scientists of the time, did not believe that the Universe came about accidentally: “Nothing in the universe is by chance, because all its elements are conditioned to exist and operate in their own way according to the divine breath that will nourish each type of consciousness”.

Scientists face their toughest challenge

There is no limit in terms of new theories trying to conceptualize consciousness. Scientists and spiritualists are at loggerheads, and so far from a conclusion. Thus, plenty of concepts of consciousness vary according to their source, whether mystical or scientific.

In the mystical field, consciousness is etheric and therefore cannot be understood by humans, nor studied deeply. Neuroscience, on the other hand, studies neural networks and how they interact with consciousness in biological terms.

The biological evolution of consciousness

In the biological field, consciousness evolves in organisms - at macro and micro levels - from the moment that the need to adapt to the different environments when self-protection becomes vital for their survival.

Instinct is a sign of awareness and so a defense mechanism that only consciousness can have. But what about so-called “inanimate” objects? Would they have consciousness too?

Panpsychism: the consciousness that is in everything

Panpsychism posits that consciousness is not only limited to living beings, such as humans, animals, and plants, but to all physical objects, i.e. "the mind is a fundamental feature of the world which exists throughout the Universe." The "animism" corroborates this theory.

In other words, panpsychism states that everything that makes up the Universe has some kind of intimate experience and, in some way, it is a grand consciousness. While some less radical “panpsychism” believe that only living beings in all their forms have consciousness, others believe that there is consciousness even in a grain of sand or a chair, for example.

The Neuroscientist Christof Koch points out that “the belief that only human beings are capable of consciously experiencing anything is absurd because even a worm can have a sense of what it's like to be alive.”

Consciousness is not in the body. It is the body that is in consciousness!

On the other hand, famous Philosopher and Mathematician René Descartes claimed that “consciousness or soul is not to be found in the brain, but in the pineal gland, the seat of the soul”.

However, contrary to “Cartesianism”, science has proven that consciousness is found in the whole body with self-related perceptions.

This deduction seems obvious to us since our organs and cells - through the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, nervous, sensory, endocrine, excretory, urinary, reproductive, skeletal, muscular, immunological, lymphatic, and integumentary systems - are all autonomous since they function thanks to their related consciousness.

Consciousness can also “act” outside the body

What Quantum Mechanics postulates may be proof that consciousness also acts outside the body. This is the famous “Observer Effect”.

So according to Physics, the so-called "Observer Effect" refers to the disturbance of an observed system by the act of observation. This is often the result of utilizing instruments that, by necessity, alter the state of what they measure in some manner.

Skepticals still don't believe the fact that when an observer watches a flow of particles - electrons or ions, for example -, and so they tend to reverse their direction, literally running against the current! This odd situation brings to my mind an interesting quote I like to repeat when needed: “The environment can't influence you, you influence the environment.”

Can consciousness be "expanded" before it happens naturally?

And what about the “external addictives” meant to evolve consciousness and its perception of reality? Are synthetic and organic inputs for consciousness expansion, beneficial or not?

Religious and mystical rituals (and those with the same purposes) have always been filled with substances extracted from hallucinogenic plants. The aim is to provoke in the user an altered state of consciousness.

Medicinal plants also play an important role in the production of so-called “psychedelics”, like DMT, a substance in some of these plants.

Is DMT a reliable "consciousness expander"?

DMT is an abbreviation for dimethyltryptamine, a hallucinogen known as the “spirit molecule”. According to experts, this substance has the ability to trigger a series of effects that will vary according to the user's predisposition.

DMT is present in ayahuasca and can be smoked, vaporized, snorted, or injected. Like cannabidiol (aka CBD), the substance responsible for activating and regulating the nervous and immune systems, it is indicated for the treatment of cognitive disorders (MCI and Beyond), PTSD, chronic pain, and mental health problems. Nonetheless, its main use, as stated, is to “expand the range of action of consciousness”.

Is your conscience ready to expand before its natural time?

Any excess in terms of ingesting substances that supposedly can enhance perception or even heal psychological issues may harm either the body or mind (or both).

In other words, a "bad trip" comes from a lack of good preparation followed by trustful monitoring. This rule is not only valid for psychedelics but for alcohol and tobacco as well.

There is an analogy I've coined to illustrate this bad habit. I called it THE ELASTIC EFFECT: “Trying to stretch your consciousness without it being ready would be like stretching a rubber band to the maximum and letting go. The result ought to be painful!”

In short, the best way to expand consciousness is to research good sources for every doubt you may have. But if you feel ready to experiment with good stuff do it only alongside reliable companions. Simple as that.

In the upcoming second part of this article, I shall explore other theories about the essence of consciousness. There will be more speculations from their humble seeker regarding the possibility of consciousness being a fractal and also about the AI having consciousness as humans do. Stand by.

Think Green

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