Consciousness remains one of the most fascinating topics in human inquiry. A subject that is studied and explored by experts in different disciplines such as neuroscience, quantum physics, psychology, philosophy and spirituality. Consciousness is as elusive as it is fundamental to our understanding of human existence. But what is consciousness? And why does it remain one of the most perplexing subjects of study?
The field of consciousness studies today is full of debates and fresh discoveries. The development of artificial intelligence raises interesting questions about the possibility of machine consciousness and concerns about the ethical consequences. Looking ahead, the future of consciousness research seems to depend on an interdisciplinary approach.
In neuroscience, the quest to understand consciousness involves unraveling the brain processes underlying our conscious experiences. There are many theories strive to pinpoint brain regions responsible for specific conscious states. However, connecting these objective findings with the subjective nature of experience is still a big challenge.
Quantum physics suggests that at the fundamental levels of reality, where the laws of quantum mechanics govern, the traditional concepts of space, time, and matter may interact with consciousness in ways we don't yet fully understand. This intersection raises deep questions about the role of the observer in shaping reality and the possibility of consciousness influencing or being influenced by the quantum world.
From a psychological angle, consciousness is the key to understanding various aspects of human cognition, including perception, memory, and decision-making. Cognitive psychology delves into states of consciousness during sleep, dreams, and altered states induced by practices like meditation or the use of drugs.
Philosophically, the concept of consciousness has sparked debates for centuries, highlighted by David Chalmers' "Hard Problem of Consciousness." This problem points out the challenge in explaining how brain processes lead to subjective experiences, a topic that has seen varied perspectives from Descartes' mind-body dualism to Eastern philosophies considering consciousness as a fundamental part of the universe.
Spirituality, often viewing consciousness as more than a mere neurological byproduct. For instance, Advaita Vedanta, a Hindu philosophical school, perceives consciousness as the ultimate, unchanging reality, a perspective that goes beyond the physical to encompass a broader understanding of the universe and our role within it.
So what is consciousness? At its core, consciousness is 'KNOWING'. It is about awareness and the capacity to experience. To understand it even deeper, we need to introduce the concept of 'Qualia'. Originated in early 20th-century philosophy.
Qualia how I understand is nothing but the 'first person experience'. Qualia is what happens, when you smell a rose, for instance, consciousness is not just about the detection of the scent by your olfactory receptors. It's about your awareness of the scent, the experience of it, and how you perceive and identify it as the fragrance of a rose. Similarly, in the realm of memory and reflection, when remembering a childhood event, consciousness plays a role in retrieving the memory, but it's also about being aware that you're recalling a past experience and perhaps experiencing emotions connected to that memory. It describe what it feels like to experience something, such as the 'redness' of red, which goes beyond its physical wavelength to encompass the personal experience of perceiving that color. But this subjective aspect of experience is unique to each individual; for instance, the way one experiences pain, like a headache, is inherently personal and varies from one person to another. These experiences of qualia are largely incommunicable – while you can describe a headache, the exact sensation and experience are impossible to fully convey to someone else. In the realm of philosophical debates, qualia pose significant questions about the nature of consciousness, challenging us to understand how subjective (first person) experiences arise from physical brain processes. What is this connection between physical brain and conscious experience and whether they can be fully explained in physical terms.
Discussing the intricacies of qualia and the subjective nature of consciousness, let's dive deeper into the very foundation of these conscious experiences. It's fascinating to realize that at the base of our conscious, subjective experience is a fundamental aspect of 'KNOWING.'
Let me explain what I mean by that. When we talk about experiencing the 'redness of red,' it's tempting to think of it as a distinct quality of the color itself.
Consider two scenarios: a child looking at a red apple and an adult doing the same. Biologically, their eyes and brains process the color in the same way. Yet, their experiences differ vastly. The child, unfamiliar with the concept of 'red' or the associations tied to it, experiences the color as a raw sensory input. For the adult, 'red' may evoke a multitude of associations and emotions based on their accumulated experiences and cultural context.
But here's the crux, at the most fundamental level, both the child and the adult are not experiencing 'redness' as a standalone quality. In Fact there is nothing like experiencing 'redness' of 'red' or 'fragrance' of 'rose'. The experience of red, in all its shades and implications, is nothing but 'knowing.' This knowing encompasses the act of perceiving the color, the awareness of the perception, and the interpretation of that perception based on past experiences and learned concepts. So the experience of 'redness' of 'red' and the experience of 'fragrance of rose' fundamentally are the same. Fundamentally, Whether it's a thought, a perception, or a sensation, at its very core, is 'knowing'. It's the conscious experience, the Self's awareness of that experience.
This is not just about experiencing the color red or feeling the pain of a headache, but also about an inherent understanding or recognition of these experiences. This 'knowing' is what consciousness in its purest form is all about. It's about this ever-present awareness or acknowledgment of our thoughts, perceptions, and feelings. This recognition goes beyond the mind's functional capabilities; it is an intrinsic quality, an essential ingredient of consciousness itself.
Consider the very act of reading this text. Pause for a moment and observe yourself moving your eyes from word to word, from this word to the next, and now to this specific word. Notice how you're here, now, in this moment, engaged in the first-person experience of reading. But let's look beneath this experience. As you're reading, there's something more fundamental happening beyond just the visual and cognitive processes. You're touching upon an indivisible point, a core aspect of your conscious experience that cannot be reduced further. It's this understanding of the experience of reading, a knowing that doesn't need external validation. It’s like when someone asks if you are alive. You instinctively say yes, and while there are biological or physical reasons to support this – like breathing or a beating heart – there’s something more. Even if we discard all physical evidence of life, you still know you are alive. Why? Because there's a deeper understanding or knowing of experiences. This knowing transcends all experiences, including the very experience of being conscious.
Every experience is known, recognized by something more profound than the sum of its sensory inputs or cognitive processes. It's this fundamental 'knowing' that underpins the consciousness, a silent witness to all that we perceive, think, and feel, providing an undeniable affirmation of our existence and awareness. This point is the 'knowing' or understanding we've been discussing. It's not just the mechanical act of reading; it's the awareness, the consciousness that underpins this activity. This consciousness, this 'knowing,' is what makes the experience of reading – and indeed, all experiences – possible. It's a subtle yet profound realization that every moment of perception, every interaction with the world, is rooted in this basic, indivisible nature of consciousness. It's not just an activity or a function but an inherent quality of our being, a constant presence in every aspect of our experience.
Understanding consciousness as this fundamental 'knowing' leads us to an intriguing realization: the essence of every object, thought, or sensation is intrinsically tied to consciousness. This insight effectively dissolves the traditional subject-object dichotomy, steering us towards a non-dual understanding of reality. In this view, consciousness is not merely a passive backdrop to experience; it is the active process of knowing, the unifying field in which all experiences, whether internal or external, take place. This perspective reshapes our understanding of consciousness. It's not just a series of experiences but a continuous act of knowing, an ongoing interaction with our environment and our inner selves. This profound understanding brings us closer to grasping the true nature of consciousness, a journey that delves into the depths of our very existence and perception.
As we wrap up this blog we've seen how consciousness is much more or not a mere biological or psychological function. This journey isn’t just an intellectual exercise; it’s a path to a deeper understanding of ourselves or true nature.
I invite you to pause and reflect on these concepts. Next time you smell a rose, watch a sunset, or even engage in a simple conversation, recognise or witness this profound but very obvious and subtle consciousness at play. Embrace the beauty of knowing that these experiences are not just happening 'TO' you; they are happening 'IN' you, a manifestation of the shared consciousness that connects us all. May it continue to inspire curiosity and wonder as you navigate the rich landscape of your own conscious experience.