Sentience and Consciousness in Single Cells: How the First Minds Emerged in Unicellular Species

Baluška, Frantǐsek; Reber, Arthur S.

doi:10.1002/bies.201800229

Cited by 73 publications

(58 citation statements)

References 77 publications

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“…While such studies often do not involve direct reference to consciousness (but see Trewavas, 2014;Baluŝka and Reber, 2019), the steady growth in evidence attesting to the existence of sophisticated cognitive repertoires throughout life's spectrum puts increasing pressure on the orthodox notion that consciousness and the NCC are coextensive. As soon as we cease taking such coextension for granted, we enjoy greater freedom to consider a wider range of possible causal mechanisms as potential candidates for a comprehensive explanation of consciousness.…”

Section: Against An Unnecessary Limitation Of Theoretical Horizonsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cosmopsychism and Consciousness Research: A Fresh View on the Causal Mechanisms Underlying Phenomenal States

Keppler

Shani

2020

Front. Psychol.

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Despite the progress made in studying the observable exteriors of conscious processes, which are reflected in the neural correlates of consciousness (NCC), there are still no satisfactory answers to two closely related core questions. These are the question of the origin of the subjective, phenomenal aspects of consciousness, and the question of the causal mechanisms underlying the generation of specific phenomenal states. In this article, we address these questions using a novel variant of cosmopsychism, a holistic form of panpsychism relying on the central idea that the universe is imbued with a ubiquitous field of consciousness (UFC). This field is understood as a foundational dual-aspect component of the cosmos, the extrinsic appearance of which is physical in nature and the intrinsic manifestation of which is phenomenological in nature. We argue that this approach brings a new perspective into play, according to which the organizational characteristics of the NCC are indicative of the brain's interaction with and modulation of the UFC. Key insights from modern physics suggest that the modulation mechanism is identical with the fundamental mechanism underlying quantum systems, resulting in the conclusion that a coherently oscillating neural cell assembly acquires phenomenal properties by tapping into the universal pool of phenomenal nuances predetermined by the UFC, or more specifically, by entering into a temporary liaison with the UFC and extracting a subset of phenomenal tones from the phenomenal color palette inherent in the basic structure of the UFC. This hypothesis is supported by a substantial body of empirical evidence. Keywords: neural correlates of consciousness, hard problem of consciousness, explanatory gap, ubiquitous field of consciousness, zero-point field, modulation mechanism, quantum systems, long-range coherence CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE NCC Neuroscientific approaches to the study of consciousness assign pride of place to the task of progressively charting and analyzing the neural correlates of consciousness (NCC), i.e., the neural mechanisms jointly sufficient for eliciting specific types of conscious experiences (Crick and Koch, 2003; Tononi and Koch, 2008). The search for the NCC is motivated, in large part, by the belief that they are more than mere correlates, namely, that such neural mechanisms provide the causal-material basis for consciousness. Significantly, many neuroscientists also hold (or have

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Section: Against An Unnecessary Limitation Of Theoretical Horizonsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cosmopsychism and Consciousness Research: A Fresh View on the Causal Mechanisms Underlying Phenomenal States

Keppler

Shani

2020

Front. Psychol.

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“…Along the way Peter posited the notion that the actin-based cell-cell adhesion domains in the root apices resembled neuronal synapses [152,153], and revived Charles Darwin's notions of brain-like properties of roots [154,155]. And Peter didn't shy away from discussing one of the most contentious aspects of plant intelligence, whether plants exhibit consciousness [156,157]. For the record, Peter was of the view that both non-human animals as well as plants exhibit a protoconsciousness [158], whereas Man has developed further capabilities, and is able to experience a 'higher' state of consciousness [158].…”

Section: Pushing the Boundaries: Plant 'Neurobiology'mentioning

confidence: 99%

The botanical multiverse of Peter Barlow

Chaffey

Volkmann

Baluška

2019

Communicative & Integrative Biology

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Dr Peter Barlow, who died in 2017, was one of the most respected botanists and biologists of the latter half of the 20th Century. His interests covered a wide range of plant biological topics, e.g. root growth and development, plant cytoskeleton, effects of gravity, plant intelligence, pattern formation, and evolution of eukaryotic cells. Here we consider Peter’s numerous contributions to the: elucidation of plant patterns; understanding of root biology; role of the plant cytoskeleton in growth and development; influence of the Moon on terrestrial vegetation; Cell Body concept; and plant neurobiology. In so doing we attempt not only to provide an overview of Peter’s important work in many areas of plant biology, but also to place that work in the context of recent advances in plant and biological sciences.

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“…It then seems likely that the cycle described above – the expression of the solution to problems into sensory images of the way the problems are experienced – will be present there too. As all living organisms, cells then have their own, particular way of experiencing consciousness [ 42 ].…”

Section: Cognition and Consciousnessmentioning

confidence: 99%

A general theory of consciousness I:Consciousness and adaptation

Peper

2020

Communicative & Integrative Biology

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This paper examines how cognitive processes in living beings become conscious. Consciousness is often assumed to be a human quality only. While the basis of this paper is that consciousness is as much present in animals as it is in humans, the human form is shown to be fundamentally different. Animal consciousness expresses itself in sensory images, while human consciousness is largely verbal. Because spoken language is not an individual quality – thoughts are shared with others via communication – consciousness in humans is complex and difficult to understand. The theory proposed postulates that consciousness is an inseparable part of the body’s adaptation mechanism. In adaptation to a new environmental disturbance, the outcome of the neural cognitive process – a possible solution to the problem posed by the disturbance – is transformed into a sensory image. Sensory images are essentially conscious as they are the way living creatures experience new environmental information. Through the conversion of neural cognitive activity – thoughts – about the state of the outside world into the way that world is experienced through the senses, the thoughts gain the reality that sensory images have. The translation of thoughts into sensory images makes them real and understandable which is experienced as consciousness. The theory proposed in this paper is corroborated by functional block diagrams of the processes involved in the complex regulated mechanism of adaptation and consciousness during an environmental disturbance. All functions in this mechanism and their interrelations are discussed in detail.

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Sentience and Consciousness in Single Cells: How the First Minds Emerged in Unicellular Species

Cited by 73 publications

References 77 publications

Cosmopsychism and Consciousness Research: A Fresh View on the Causal Mechanisms Underlying Phenomenal States

Cosmopsychism and Consciousness Research: A Fresh View on the Causal Mechanisms Underlying Phenomenal States

The botanical multiverse of Peter Barlow

A general theory of consciousness I:Consciousness and adaptation

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