by M I A Harba
‘So, consciousness plays a part in how nature behaves. With this in mind, let's see which entities conscious and which entities are not. Humans are, of course, conscious. What about animals like dogs, wolves, elephants etc? In fact, all animals exhibit some consciousness themselves. Wolves hunt in packs and they form a strategy for the hunting. Each member of the pack places itself according to the strategy. They use previous strategies that worked and avoid strategies that didn't. Isn't this consciousness?
‘Elephants remember and mourn their dead family members. In one study, they found elephants stop and change their route to a place where some of their bodies died a few years back. They would take a detour from their normal route for that visit. They would solemnly sniff and move around amongst themselves the remaining bones of their dead. Only after that, they continued in their march. Isn't this consciousness? Similar arguments apply to chimps, monkeys, dogs, and all other mammals.
‘But does consciousness stop at this level of animals? Are worms and insects not conscious? When you think about it, they are. What about fish, octopuses, and jellyfish? Their awareness of their surroundings and their methods of hunting does suggest they have some kind of consciousness.
But when you look at jellyfish, you find they don't have a centralised brain or nervous system as such, but a finite number of the neurons distributed across its body. So what makes it conscious? Those few neurons could not be the source of their consciousness. This is further evidence that consciousness does not emanate from within the brain.
‘In the argument above, the neuron activities, in their large numbers, create consciousness. But in jellyfish, there is only a small number of neurons, and they are not lumped together in a brain. So what causes their consciousness?
‘In fact, this argument of which entities are conscious may be continued to smaller and smaller animals, or even to the first cell created in a pond 3.5 billion years ago. Each may be argued to have some consciousness. It can even go down to the level of the sub-particles, whose behaviour between acting like waveforms or particles, is a form of consciousness.
‘Everything in this world seems to have some kind of consciousness, but, of course, different levels of consciousness depending on their place within the hierarchy of evolution.
‘So, what can one conclude from these observations? Where does consciousness come from at all these levels? What's the next level of consciousness above humans? Some researchers argue that consciousness is fundamental in this universe and is behind the reality that we seem to be within. Above us, there must be another level of consciousness, and that would be of the universe, itself. The universe is a conscious entity on a large scale.
‘It is consciousness that makes the sub-particles behave like particles and not waveforms, and thus consciousness is the creator of the matter in the universe. In other words, if consciousness was not there, the universe would be waveforms of energy and has no specific shape.
‘What I meant is, when a sub-particle in its waveform state, not in the particle state, that particle is not well defined. Its position is a probability and could be at any place in this universe. If all particles in the universe act as waveforms, the universe will be a universe of energy, no matter that exists.
‘Further, not all sub-particles features could be detected or measured simultaneously. If you measure one feature, this might affect the measurements or the knowledge of the other features. There is always an element of uncertainty in this world. It is a probabilistic world.
‘It must be somebody’s consciousness that created the material world around us. This is a very hard conclusion to reach because it means consciousness does not originate from the brain. It is projected from outside into the brain. This theory is receiving some traction by many scientists these days,’ concluded Dr Al-Harith.
‘So has consciousness been there all the time? Was it there on the day the Big Bang started or was it there even before the big bang?’ asked Sam.
‘The big bang is yet another representation of reality that consciousness has postulated. Consciousness predates everything and has been there since eternity. The universal consciousness is a concept, and the matter/brain intrinsic relationship is a duality referred to as Panpsychism.’
‘This is an amazing theory. I don't see it much different from the religious outlook to reality. In this theory, consciousness is the creator of reality and the universe as we see it and is eternal and fundamental. It even precedes the big bang. In religion, there is this concept of the divine Creator who's always been there and will always be. He encompasses all the universe and all aspects of our reality. I see a great deal of similarity here,’ Sam questioned.
‘Yes, actually there is. But Panpsychism is a scientific theory, and there is some good scientific reasoning behind it. Whether you agree with it or not, it's a theory. It’s valid as long people cannot provide evidence to disprove it. Nobody will ignore your argument against it and will listen to you. They will not say, you’ve got to believe what we say. Unfortunately, this is not the standpoint of religion,’ Explained Dr Al-Harith
‘I'm really intrigued. Listening to you talking about consciousness, has blown my mind, especially the concept of consciousness coming from outside the brain rather than emanating from within it. Do you buy into this concept of Panpsychism?’ asked Sam.
‘Well, Panpsychism is a very interesting theory. It falls within the duality model of consciousness, which, as the name implies, links the two basic aspects of reality, mind and matter. However, it is still controversial, and not all scientists or psychologists agree with it.
‘One scientist suggested a theory which is similar but has some mathematical basis behind it. He called it Programmed Realism. It has many aspects of Panpsychism, but as I said, there is a mathematical model behind it. What the model says is that consciousness, or conscious agents, can actually combine together to produce a higher level of consciousness. Conscious agents at the lowest level, e.g. the sub-particle level, combine to provide a higher level of consciousness, and this can go up as you combine more conscious agents until you reach the humans’ level.
‘So, it seems to agree with the concept of universal consciousness, and that consciousness can start from the very tiny elementary level to the vast and huge cosmic or universal consciousness that we don't fully understand yet.
‘This theory is gaining some traction with scientists because for the first-time, consciousness is being presented in a mathematical model that can actually withstand the rigour of mathematical scrutiny. Consciousness has never been able to be presented in any mathematical form. So, that is a first from that point of view.
‘This theory recognises and builds upon the concept of evolution. Consciousness and its evolution in animals emanate from the will to survive as portrayed by evolution,’ explained Dr Al-Harith.
‘Interesting, very interesting. But having explained so much about consciousness, and how it relates to the world around us, how does it fit with Salam’s theory, the Simulation Hypothesis, that he was talking about recently?’ asked Sam.
‘Well, I'm sure Salam mentioned to you that it's not his theory. It is a concept that has been around for some time but gained a lot of attention recently, particularly from the work of professor Bostrom, of Oxford University.
‘The Simulation Hypothesis is supposed to be a complete theory that explains everything including consciousness, or at least, this is what it portrays to say. The hypothesis explains consciousness as related to the intelligence or the consciousness of the characters simulated by the grand programmer. All characters, according to this theory, have intelligence and consciousness embedded within them. But, ultimately, the consciousness that controls everything in the program is the consciousness of the programmer. It, therefore, fits in with the concept of an external consciousness being in control of the consciousness of the individual characters,’ Explained Dr Al-Harith.
‘Are you convinced that simulation is the real answer for this
world?’ asked Sam.
‘Well, not really. I think there are a lot of aspects that I like in the Simulation Hypothesis. But, unfortunately, it assumes that we understand everything about the universe and, therefore, can provide an explanation for what we see in it. But this is not necessarily so. We still don't understand everything in this universe. In fact, only 5% of the universe is the matter that we see and measure. There is still 95% of what the scientists call the ‘dark energy’ and the ‘dark matter’ that we have no idea what they are.
‘So, if these are discovered, or their features identified, within the next few years, will the Simulation Hypothesis be able to explain them or cater for them? This is a complete unknown because we're still not there yet,’ answered Dr Al-Harith.
‘So, basically, are you saying that the Simulation Hypothesis is still not there yet?’ asked Sam.
‘Yes, I don't think it is there yet, or can explain everything in the visible or felt universe. It is a theory for explaining reality as we perceive it. What I'm saying is that there are still many unknowns in our understanding. I'm not really sure if the Simulation Hypothesis is capable of withstanding new discoveries or even able to handle them.’
‘Well, Dr Al-Harith, it's been a wonderful session with you, and I'm really glad that I listened to this wonderful explanation. I'm afraid, my mind is now totally confused. What we learnt at school and university, does not match the new discoveries and the new theories for explaining reality, and it will take me time for everything to sink in. The fact that we are mostly empty space, and consciousness is something external that comes into our brain, are very new concepts to me. I really need time to sit back and think about the implications of these,’ Sam said.
‘Actually, I haven’t covered but a scratch on the surface of this very important subject. There is more, a lot more to be talked about. But perhaps, we can leave it to another meeting. Maybe Salam can join in as well,’ Dr Al-Harith said.
With that, Sam said his goodbye to Dr Al-Harith and left his office.
A Mysterious Visitor
Sam was still not fully recovered from his ordeal with the pickup but tried to resume normality. However, he was unprepared for what happened next. He treated life as he did in the city, logical and followed common sense. He was oblivious to how vulnerable he was, as illogical mysteries began to play with his mind.
It's been 3 days since the labourers went on their week-long holiday, and Sam’s three nights alone made him feel a little apprehensive. The second night was horrendous, with him sleeping in the cabin of his pickup. It was cold, sleepless, and terrifying, something he was going to remember for a very long time.
Being back in the safety of his campsite and the semi-finished walls meant the world for him. As he sat eating his breakfast and sipping his coffee, he decided not to wander again in the desert, at least not without proper planning. Further, even with proper planning, he wasn't going to stray away until he understood the area better and had more confidence.
Boredom and being on his own had its challenges, though. How was he to fill his time? There was nothing to do here but to sit and wait; venturing out was no longer an option. There was always reading he could do, and the books he brought with him were specifically for such an eventuality.
He retrieved the book on the Simulation Hypothesis by Jim Elvidge, and started reading, probably for the 5th or 6th time. The world as a computer simulation is an interesting concept, but he wasn’t convinced. There was another book he brought along, written by a specialist in the coding of games, Rizwan Virk. It also advocates the Simulation Hypothesis. It has an excellent in-depth analysis of the Simulation Hypothesis with respect to recent advances in games and game coding. The book focuses on the ultimate goal of proving that we could well be simulated by a bigger or hyper-intelligent entity. It covers a lot of background on games, and how games have evolved over the years.
These two books were his inspiration for the Simulation Hypothesis, and he treated them as his close companions in the desert.
The sun was shining warm, and he wanted some shade. He erected a couple of wooden poles and hung tarp sheets on top. He sat in this shade, absorbed in his reading until well into the afternoon. It was then time to cook something for his lunch and probably dinner, too.
He went to the store tent but decided he didn't have the will or energy to put any effort into cooking. He opted for sandwiches instead, with cheese, butter, and bread. He also brewed fresh coffee and took it to his shade.
Dusk soon came, and the sky took a golden colour as the sun dipped below the horizon in its long daily journey. He could see the half-disc of the sun as it gradually disappeared beneath the thin line of the horizon. He kept watching it until the disc no longer showed. The golden rays emanating from the sun fell upon the protruding outcrops and dunes and made them like golden shrines in the distance, something he wouldn't be able to see in any city in the world.
It was a fantastic view and a self-reminder of why he came out here. But was that scene real? He learned from his readings and meetings with Dr Talib and Dr Al-Harith, that reality is an illusion. There is nothing material out there, it is simply energy fields. Not even particles exist anywhere.
Certainly, the rays emanating from the golden disc of the sun were very real. Whether he looked at the sun or he didn't, it was always there. Science’s standpoint on this was indeed very confusing to him.
The evening started with a grey sky that gradually got darker, and the stars and the planets began to sparkle against the darkened canvas of the sky. He could identify a few of these planets and stars and wished he brought a telescope with him. The desert sky is the ideal place for observing the beautiful glittering sky, with these little gems of stars twinkling everywhere.
He remained outside for a long time, watching the beautiful diamond display on this moonless night. It was total darkness, lit only by the remote stars whose shy light showed shadows on the terrain and the remote edge of the horizon. He could see the horizon, a thin line where no stars showed beyond. The sky in the city is dull and confused, and one has no chance of seeing stars this clear.
He went into the store tent to switch the LED lights on and grabbed the sandwiches he’d prepared earlier. He ate outside, to the same chair where he sat and watched the stars earlier. He didn't want the LED lights on for long because he didn't want to attract unwelcome intruders. He switched them off and used a dimly lit lantern instead.
He went inside his tent early and used his torch for some reading. He left a partly lit lantern outside the tent just in case he needed it. Although its light was essentially faint, it could, in the dark night, be as bright as a big moon from far.
The night after the dreadful pickup predicament was peaceful. He fell asleep almost immediately, and there were no visions of ghosts or strange noises. His brain was so tired it could not afford thinking of ghosts and the paranormal. But tonight, his brain was fresher, and these visions came back with a vengeance.
While in the tent with the torch still on, he could visualise figures standing outside the tent, wanting to unzip the door and come in. Any noise in the vicinity of his camp is amplified by his fear and the total silence of the place. The brain interpreted these noises in the way it usually did, unruly figures and threats to his existence. Didn’t Dr Al-Harith say, all was in the mind?
If one is superstitious, these noises are from ghosts and the paranormal. Some say, if one believes there is something out there trying to get them, it is their sixth sense giving them an early warning. Scientists believe the brain is capable of making anything appear to happen. In other words, the brain projects a picture of these things as though they exist, although one knows they don't. Logic had failed that night, however, and all appeared very real to Sam.
It was a long time before sleep blissfully came to him. His sleep was discontinuous, however, waking up repeatedly to listen to some noise he heard or thought he heard. He had barricaded the door with the wooden, and these sh
ould guarantee no intruder could enter without making sufficient noise to wake him up, especially in his heightened state of anxiety.
It must have been after midnight when he heard a noise and woke up suddenly not knowing why. He raised his head and listened. He couldn't explain why he woke up and listened for a long time, but nothing. He was about to go back to sleep when the sound came again: knocking on the wooden barricade. Did he imagine it or was it real?
The knocks came back again, and they were real. It scared him beyond his senses. He knew of no people around for hundreds of kilometres, and they hadn’t seen any humans during the time the camp was full of people. Who could it be?
The knocks came back again, and they were persistent this time. What should he do? It could only be trouble or a threat to his life.
He summoned whatever courage he could muster within his troubled body and mind and started hastily looking for his gun. He loaded a bullet in the chamber and was ready to pull the trigger. But, firing at what? There was nothing out there.
He slowly unzipped the door of the tent and dragged himself out. He was not going to stand directly behind the barricade, but to the side when looking out to see what was out there. An intruder could fire directly into the barricade if they could see someone behind it. He stood on the side, protected by the wall, and slowly looked out. It was so dark outside he couldn't tell if there was something or someone out there. Then came the sound, a male voice, with a distinctive Bedouin accent, greeting him,
‘Brother, greetings, brother.’
‘Who's there?’ Sam stuttered a question back.