By Annaka Harris
A Brief Guide to the Fundamental
Mystery of the Mind
Annaka Harris’s well-researched and fresh perspective on the illusive subject of consciousness is refreshing. Below are the key points covered.
- Annaka opens with a thought-provoking quote from Thomas Nagel’s renowned essay, “What is it like to be a bat?” She expands on this to provide a thought-provoking definition of consciousness: “An organism is conscious if there is ‘something that it is like’ to be that organism.”
- She then makes a rather convincing argument that it is nearly impossible to recognize consciousness in the actions and behaviors of others, be it human or something else.
- Annaka then poses a challenging question: is our behavior our conscious intent? She then presents a unique perspective, suggesting that the concept and even the definition of ‘Free Will’ is elusive.
- You may observe behaviors that suggest consciousness but could easily exist without consciousness. You can only think about consciousness after you have experienced it. There is no way to imagine consciousness. Our consciousness is separate from our sense of self.
- Panpsychism could suggest that behaviors such as knowing when it’s warm or cold, light or dark, could be a primitive form of consciousness. Plants exhibit this type of behavior.
When I reached the end of this book, I was reminded of the parable of the elephant and the five blind men. Like so many others before her, Annaka walked up to examine consciousness and returned to share her perspective on what she found. Unlike all the others, she returned with a story of awe and inspiration.
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