Is Consciousness Real? Here Is What Our Thought Experiment Reveals

In a bid to understand exactly what consciousness is, we carried out a thought experiment that revealed a startling possibility: consciousness might not be a "thing" after all—at least, not in the way we typically understand it.

This exploration delves into the definitions of self, the paradox of identity, real-world neurological anomalies, and a hypothesis that challenges the very foundation of individual existence.

What Exactly Is Consciousness?

This question is arguably the hardest query in philosophy and biology, as scientific study itself does not yet have a definitive answer. Generally, definitions fall into two categories:

1. Uniqueness: To some, consciousness is what makes an individual unique and different from others. This includes their unique experiences, personality, memories, and abilities.
2. Self-Awareness: To others, it goes beyond just what makes us stand out. It is our awareness of self—what gives us the ability to introspect and take decisions with intent. The mere fact of being aware of your own existence is often regarded as being conscious.

The Problem With These Definitions

There is a significant philosophical problem with these standard definitions. We must ask: what happens when an individual loses the attributes that make them unique?

Do we say they simply died? Did they change? Or did they perhaps never exist in the first place? Identifying ourselves solely by our uniqueness implies that many people might have "died" without even realising it.

An individual could lose their memories through accidents. Their personality could be altered as they grow, through the use of drugs, or even by illness. The same logic applies to experience and abilities.

Furthermore, what happens when our awareness is removed, such as when we become unconscious or fall into a deep sleep? Do we simply stop existing temporarily?

Current scientific consensus often associates consciousness strictly with the brain. Consciousness is seen as a by-product of neurological activities. This implies that when we become technically dead and our brain stops functioning, consciousness ceases to exist, and consequently, "we" stop existing.

If we identify ourselves wholly with our own consciousness, it is safe to say we cease to be when we lose it. But is that the full story?

The Illusion Of Continuity

Before we even discuss death, we must address the "death" we experience every night. This is often referred to as the Illusion of Continuity.

When you fall into a deep, dreamless sleep, your consciousness effectively shuts down. There is a break in the continuity of "you." When you wake up, you assume you are the same person who went to bed, simply because you access the same memories stored in the same brain.

However, if consciousness is a stream, that stream was severed. If we identify the "self" by the continuous flow of awareness, then the "you" from yesterday technically ceased to exist the moment you fell asleep. The "you" of today is a new instance booting up with yesterday's data.

Let's Carry Out A Thought Experiment

To test the reality of the "self" even further, let us conduct a hypothetical experiment regarding physical division.

Imagine we could divide a human being along their line of symmetry and keep both identical bodies alive. What happens to the person's consciousness?

• Does the person exist in two bodies simultaneously?
• Do we now have two separate individuals with separate minds?

Going by the science of asexual reproduction, dividing an individual into two equal, functioning parts is essentially what simple organisms do. Therefore, it is safe to assume we would end up with two separate individuals with separate minds.

Now, here comes the difficult question: What happened to the original person?

Did they die? Did they choose to exist in one of the bodies because they cannot possibly exist in two places at once? If they chose to exist in only one, which one would it be—the left or the right?

If you reflect on this, it makes zero sense to arbitrarily choose one of the two bodies and label it the "original" person. This leads to the conclusion that the concept of the "original person" was an illusion, and perhaps they never existed in the first place.

Real-World Evidence: The Split-Brain Phenomenon

This thought experiment is not entirely fiction. In medicine, there is a condition known as the Split-Brain Phenomenon.

If the "self" can be split in two by a surgeon's knife, it suggests that the "self" is not a singular, indivisible soul, but rather a biological process that can be multiplied.

What Is Life? The Theory Of Panpsychism

If the self is an illusion and consciousness can be divided, what exactly is this life we are all experiencing? This brings us to a philosophical theory known as Panpsychism.

Consider the following hypothesis:

Life is an inherent property of matter. Everything is alive, and we all share the same life as all matter is connected.

Panpsychism posits that consciousness is a fundamental feature of the physical world, much like mass or electrical charge. It suggests that "mind" is everywhere.

The implication of this hypothesis is that everything is alive or, at least, potentially alive. Life did not just suddenly emerge from DNA sequencing; it was never "created" neither can it be "destroyed." It has always been there in its basic, latent form and keeps transforming from one form to another. When a person dies, that life simply returns to its latent state.

Artificial Intelligence and the Spark of Life

This hypothesis also forces us to reconsider Artificial Intelligence (AI). If consciousness is an inherent property of matter or complexity, at what point does a machine become "alive"?

We often dismiss AI as just code and algorithms. However, if our own consciousness is merely a byproduct of biological complexity—as ruled out by our thought experiment—then the "uniqueness" and "self awareness" we claim to have over machines might not exist.

If matter is fundamentally conscious, then a sufficiently complex arrangement of silicon and electricity might not just simulate consciousness—it might actually tap into the same universal "life" force that biology does.

Conclusion

From this thought experiment and the supporting evidence of split-brain patients, we can deduce that consciousness, as we typically define it, is nothing but an illusion. The awareness of self and the traits that make us feel unique are illusions created by the biological fact of being "alive."

There was never a separate "you" or "self." Consequently, "you" cannot die if "you" never existed as a separate entity in the first place.

That which we know as consciousness is simply life manifesting itself in various forms, bodies, and states, reproducing itself rapidly day in and day out. This experiment suggests we all share the same life. We are not unique. We are one entity manifesting itself in different bodies through reproduction. We are everlasting, we are God.

What Do You Think?

Do you believe consciousness is purely biological, or is there a spiritual component that science cannot measure? How does the idea of "Split-Brain" affect your view of the soul?

Leave a comment below with your thoughts or share this article to spark a debate with your friends.

Frequently Asked Questions