This is an attempt at summarising modern findings around consciousness.

This article challenges René Descartes’ famous idea, “I think, therefore I am,” by presenting new research suggesting that consciousness begins in the body, not the mind. Here are the key takeaways:

  1. Core Argument:
    Consciousness may originate from bodily feelings (e.g., hunger, pain, pleasure) rather than thought. The new perspective suggests “I feel, therefore I am” as a more accurate maxim.

  2. Scientific Study:
    A large-scale study tested two major theories of consciousness:
    • Integrated Information Theory (IIT): Consciousness arises from deeply connected information in the posterior cortex.
    • Global Neuronal Workspace Theory (GNWT): Consciousness arises when the prefrontal cortex broadcasts information widely.
      Results leaned toward IIT, showing the posterior cortex plays a significant role in conscious awareness.

  3. Implications:
    Understanding consciousness could reshape life-or-death decisions, such as determining awareness in coma patients.
    Studies found that 25% of patients diagnosed as vegetative may exhibit “covert consciousness,” challenging assumptions about their state.

  4. Philosophical Insight:
    The study highlights the complexity of consciousness, emphasizing that finding its causes (e.g., brain activity) is not the same as finding consciousness itself.
    It supports the idea that consciousness is inherently experiential and cannot be fully reduced to physical processes.

  5. Broader Impact:
    The findings could influence medical practices, neuroscience, and philosophical debates about self-awareness and the mind-body connection.

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