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So when I use the word "consciousness", I'm not talking about higher-order thinking or complex thought, or things that we think of in terms of human consciousness. But when I use the word "consciousness" I'm talking about awareness, felt experience, sentience interchangeably, to talk about this more fundamental sense of consciousness. And this can exist without thought. It could exist in a very simple organism that is not capable of thought. But even in our human experience, we think of a very young child or an infant- we know that there's still felt experiences: feeling pressure against the skin, hearing sounds in the room, the experience of heat or cold. And there's clearly consciousness there, and it doesn't necessarily entail thought. So the study of consciousness has largely, if not entirely, been relegated to neuroscience, which makes a lot of sense because we have assumed that the organisms that are concsious are the ones that are most like us. And we're complex systems. The brain is the most complex system in the universe that we know of. And so we assume that consciousness arises out of that complex processing.

Let's follow Annaka...

So when I use the word "consciousness, " / I'm not talking about higher-order thinking / or complex thought, / or things that we think of / in terms of human consciousness. // But when I use the word "consciousness," / I'm talking about awareness, / felt experience, / sentience / interchangeably / to talk about this more fundamental sense of consciousness. // And this can exist without thought. / It could exist in a very simple organism / that is not capable of thought. // But even in our human experience, / we think of a very young child / or an infant / we know that there's still felt experiences: / feeling pressure against the skin, / hearing sounds in the room, / the experience of heat or cold. // And there's clearly consciousness there, / and it doesn't necessarily entail thought. // So the study of consciousness / has largely, / if not entirely, / been relegated to neuroscience, / which makes a lot of sense / because we have assumed / that the organisms that are conscious / are the ones that are most like us. // And we're complex systems. / The brain is the most complex system / in the universe that we know of. // And so we assume / that consciousness arises out of that complex processing. //

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But some of these intuitions that we're relying on to make that assumption have been overturned by modern neuroscience and have been shown to be illusions. So when we're trying to think more clearly and more creatively about consciousness, there are two questions that I think really get at the heart of where these intuitions are misleading us. Number one, is there any evidence we can find from outside an organism, or outside a system, that will conclusively tell us that that organism entails conscious experiences? And the second question is, is consciousness doing something? Does it serve a function? Is it driving our behavior in the way that we feel it is? And our intuitive answer to both of these questions is a resounding yes. But, surprisingly, it's easier to puncture these intuitions, or to shake them up, than you might think.

Let's follow Annaka...

But some of these intuitions / that we're relying on / to make that assumption / have been overturned by modern neuroscience / and have been shown to be illusions. // So when we're trying to think more clearly / and more creatively about consciousness, / there are two questions / that I think / really get at the heart / of where these intuitions are misleading us. // Number one, / is there any evidence we can find / from outside an organism, / or outside a system, / that will conclusively tell us / that that organism entails conscious experiences? // And the second question is, / is consciousness doing something? / Does it serve a function? / Is it driving our behavior / in the way that we feel it is? // And our intuitive answer / to both of these questions / is a resounding yes. // But, surprisingly, / it's easier to puncture these intuitions, / or to shake them up, / than you might think. //