Consciousness is the ultimate mystery for the simple fact that it is the most immediately and intimately known facet our existence and yet it is the least understood.
Conscious awareness. It’s not even a thing. You can’t put your finger on it. You can‘t show it anyone. And yet it is the very “thing” that moves you about and any attempt to define it already presupposes it and after all that “consciousness” remains ambiguous.
We have a deep grasp on concepts like the universe, biology, physics, chemistry, even ethereal concepts like morality and justice are ideas we can pin down. But consciousness, the curious “thing” that allows us to know all of these, remains a mystery. Just how do biological mechanisms produce consciousness, and why do we experience a world?
Its immaterial nature places completely beyond the reach of science. To quote the philosopher of mind David Chalmers, “We have no consciousness meter.” In fact, we would do better to say it is actually consciousness that is “doing” science. It is the inquisitive mind or curious consciousness that is planning and placing psycho-actively activated brains in MRI’s and noting the novel interconnections created by adding another neurotransmitter to the neurochemical soup. It is only mind that is mindful of what it is doing.
Consciousness is the necessary precondition for all meaningful existence. Now, the word meaningful is essential to that last sentence. Because as human beings we care about things. Things matter to us. And meaning is something that can only be present to Spirit. Matter doesn’t care about meaning. Matter doesn’t even know about matter.
Now, many usually claim the obvious and naively agreeable fact that the universe doesn’t seem to care about consciousness. It seems to be a late-bloomer with regards to the linear evolution of the universe. And it seems to be an entity, if we can call it that, which it’s not, nevertheless that only humans and the higher animals have. I would argue that all life down to the singular cell has some form of conscious awareness, not in the sense of knowledge of one’s existence but more along the lines of blind and primitive sentience. Extremely primitive feeling.
All conscious experience comes parcelled with a “something it is like” to be in that state. I would venture to say there is a cell. Or a blade of grass in the sun. I think the difference between a rock and a cell is a measure of inherent complexity and the depth of degree by which they vibrate the mindfield. But that might be for another video.
Anyways, with regards to human beings, it is absolutely necessary and fundamental for our existence. A universe could not be known at all if consciousness didn’t exist. As one of the founding fathers of QM once wrote: “The show that is going on obviously acquires a meaning only with regard to the mind that contemplates it.” ~ Erwin Schrödinger
Meaning
Consciousness brings the universe into being so that existence itself can be known and only then can attain a meaning.
Know you might be asking what is the meaning of existence then if it presupposes consciousness? The answer is Joseph Campbell “Life has no meaning. Each of us has meaning and we bring it to life. It is a waste to be asking the question when you are the answer.”
The answer is already inside you and it is your awareness itself. And considering the fact that we are free agents and have free will, we can choose how we view the world. Now, I’m not saying there are not things to worry about or that we could be doing better, but we do have the option to look upon the world optimistically and endeavour to make the future a brighter place. Even if, intellectually speaking, it can look a little bleak.
Now, we already noted that consciousness is not a thing, but it is clearly not a nothing either. In fact, with regards to the most important situation in the entire universe, your presently lived experience because nothing meaningfully exists for you except as an inference, your consciousness is actually everything. It actual is everything to you.
You might be asking why is my presently lived experience the most important thing in the world? And the truth is subtle but undeniable. Because the present moment is all we really have. And it’s the only thing you could ever affect. Of course, our actions will ripple through eternity and have affects we cannot foresee, but they only transpire or come to pass in that precious and oft forgotten temporal movement we call the present moment.
A moment known only in and by that mysterious an precious non-entity we call consciousness.