Unveiling the Mysteries: Panpsychism and the Consciousness of the Sun and Stars

Panpsychism and the Consciousness of the Sun and Stars

The Nature of Consciousness The nature of consciousness, how it emerges, and how it relates to the physical world has been a major philosophical and scientific topic of debate for as long as humanity has been thinking. Are mind and body separate? Some think yes, others think no, but a third camp expresses an in-between and yet more radical idea: everything in the universe has consciousness, and that includes the Sun. This vision of the universe is known as panpsychism. The idea that consciousness arises from the physical world is known as physicalism, although we remain uncertain as to what makes animals conscious. Instead, the idea of mind and matter as two separate entities is covered by the dualist view of the world. Panpsychism sets out as a bridge between the two. Consciousness arises in us because consciousness is present in everything.
The Sun's Consciousness In a paper published in the Journal of Consciousness Studies back in 2021, Sheldrake argues for the consciousness of the Sun and all the other stars. The biologist puts forth that “consciousness, awareness, or experience may be present in self-organizing systems at many levels of complexity.” Sheldrake states that this moves us from the physicalism concern of how consciousness emerged from a simple system and instead brings consciousness to stars, solar systems, galaxies, and the universe as a whole.
The Consequences of a Conscious Sun Now, there are many philosophical and scientific arguments challenging panpsychism, but in the paper, we were particularly intrigued by what the consequences of a conscious Sun and the 100 billion other conscious stars making up the Milky Way would be. One proposed consequence, for example, is that the stars can move by releasing directional jets that place them where they want to. | Consequence of a Conscious Sun | | :---: | | Stars can move by releasing directional jets | | Stars steer themselves into their appropriate position | | The Sun's magnetic field is complex and conscious |