Does the universe have consciousness?

[Fool]

I can't see how it could.

This is a disconnect of the observer unaware of itself.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

Yes, it has to, unless somehow conscious beings are separate from the Universe in a way that isn't a manifestation of being conscious and separating oneself from the environment in order to perceive it.

 

[ChristineM]

Spooky action at a distance

Is it conscious spooky action?

 

[Guitar's Cry]

The universe contains conscious parts. But the whole is not conscious, imo.

Where is the separation between the parts and the whole?

 

[`mud]

We and the Cosmos that contains us are just more neurons in life itself

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

If I was to answer your question, what leads me to believe the universe is conscious is how everything within it function, how synchronized the world is. If something changes in the universe there is often a reaction to the change. So if we take away God for a moment, the only conclusion I can come up with is that the universe itself has some form of life and consciousness, Can I be wrong? of course I can

But that synchronization makes perfect sense if you have even a moderate knowledge of physics -- or even an appreciation of the fact that there are "laws," meaning relationships between how things respond to how they are affected, that describe the workings of pretty much everything. Even at fundamental levels.

It's a bit like thinking of a pool table: if you hit the cue ball just so, and it makes contact at such a speed and such an angle with the 8 ball, the 8 ball's response (where and how fast it will go) is completely determined.

 

[The Crimson Universe]

Consciousness then temporarily limits itself in finite forms until it liberates itself through knowledge of its Source (Moksha).

When you say "consciousness then temporarily limits itself", do you believe IT actually performs such an action? In other words, do you consider Consciousness the karta (doer of such a deed)? I asked this elsewhere but didn't get satisfactory answers.

 

[Spirit of Light]

But that synchronization makes perfect sense if you have even a moderate knowledge of physics -- or even an appreciation of the fact that there are "laws," meaning relationships between how things respond to how they are affected, that describe the workings of pretty much everything. Even at fundamental levels.

It's a bit like thinking of a pool table: if you hit the cue ball just so, and it makes contact at such a speed and such an angle with the 8 ball, the 8 ball's response (where and how fast it will go) is completely determined.

I do not deny your way of thinking here, but in my understanding, there is too easy to say it just happen by coincidence that the world works as it does.

 

[ADigitalArtist]

Where is the separation between the parts and the whole?

Same as the separation between you and your desk. You may be made up of a lot of the same materials but you experience consciousness. The desk doesn't.

(As you can probably tell not a big fan of oneness doctrines.)

 

[Guitar's Cry]

Same as the separation between you and your desk. You may be made up of a lot of the same materials but you experience consciousness. The desk doesn't.

(As you can probably tell not a big fan of oneness doctrines.)

Yet, between me and my desk are connections unseen. Were I able to see the various wavelengths of energy, microbial interactions, gaseous connections, and organic interactions between my body and my environment, how much separation would there be?

We see separation between things in the environment because our senses are discriminating and limited, and our minds form relationships based on various models in order to form a recreation of reality to enhance the fitness of our biology.

 

[QuestioningMind]

This question may have been asked before, but

Does the universe have consciousness?

I suppose that it may be possible, but with absolutely no verifiable evidence to back up the claim it would be absolutely ridiculous to accept it as true or even likely.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

1: You answered this your self Is the universe aware of its own existence ?
3: I do believe the universe is a part of God, so yes I do believe it is aware of its own existence, meaning it can do certain things with a purpose. (not that I understand fully how it is possible)

When I think of awareness or consciousness I think of something being aware of itself (like your 3) rather than momentum or constant movement (how I see it) of the physical universe and life. So life wouldn't be aware of its own existence because it isn't a living being.

For example, your consciousness is your mind and activated by the brain. You are aware of your surroundings and what you think by means of neurological activity in the brain. I think I showed you a video of it somewhere about the three types of awareness-of self (Internal), environment (external), and biological awareness. Life isn't aware of itself because it just is.

1. How would life be aware of its own existence (or be an 'it') if it just is constant movement or energy?

2. The "god" is throwing it off but how did you come to the conclusion the universe (physical?) is aware of itself?

And has a purpose???

 

[Spirit of Light]

When I think of awareness or consciousness I think of something being aware of itself (like your 3) rather than momentum or constant movement (how I see it) of the physical universe and life. So life wouldn't be aware of its own existence because it isn't a living being.

For example, your consciousness is your mind and activated by the brain. You are aware of your surroundings and what you think by means of neurological activity in the brain. I think I showed you a video of it somewhere about the three types of awareness-of self (Internal), environment (external), and biological awareness. Life isn't aware of itself because it just is.

1. How would life be aware of its own existence (or be an 'it') if it just is constant movement or energy?

2. The "god" is throwing it off but how did you come to the conclusion the universe (physical?) is aware of itself?

And has a purpose???

1: I do not know the answer to this question
2: That has taken years to have faith in, long before I become a Sufi. But if God is consciousness and this universe is a part of God, to me that makes sense that the universe is conscious of its existence. Can I prove it? No
Can I be sure my own understanding on this topic is correct? No I can not

 

[ADigitalArtist]

Yet, between me and my desk are connections unseen. Were I able to see the various wavelengths of energy, microbial interactions, gaseous connections, and organic interactions between my body and my environment, how much separation would there be?

We see separation between things in the environment because our senses are discriminating and limited, and our minds form relationships based on various models in order to form a recreation of reality to enhance the fitness of our biology.

Having connections doesn't mean the desk also experiences consciousness. We see separation between things in the environment because different things have different attributes and trying to broadly paint them all the same thing is pointless.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

This is a disconnect of the observer unaware of itself.

... you assume.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

1: I do not know the answer to this question
2: That has taken years to have faith in, long before I become a Sufi. But if God is consciousness and this universe is a part of God, to me that makes sense that the universe is conscious of its existence. Can I prove it? No
Can I be sure my own understanding on this topic is correct? No I can not

2. Instead of proving it (I'm not a proof person) can you explain it?

(Good movie by the way)

 

[George-ananda]

When you say "consciousness then temporarily limits itself", do you believe IT actually performs such an action? In other words, do you consider Consciousness the karta (doer of such a deed)? I asked this elsewhere but didn't get satisfactory answers.

My best way of looking at it is Brahman willing places Maya on Itself when incarnated in the material universe.

I consider it like watching a dramatic movie and allowing ourselves to forget we are watching big Hollywood stars and identify with the plights of the poor struggling characters. It's enjoying creative art.

 

[Spirit of Light]

2. Instead of proving it (I'm not a proof person) can you explain it?

(Good movie by the way)

It could maybe be explained in the sense that everything has some form of life within it, call it energy or life force.'
And so it is the same with the whole universe, to me, it feels alive, I know to say something feels alive is seen as a nonsensical way of describing it, but that is the best I can do at the moment. It is like when I speak out loud and ask the universe for guidance it does answer me and guide me (this is where God comes into the picture for me)
I will try to write a new OP later on this topic because to me it is interesting to go deeper into it.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

Having connections doesn't mean the desk also experiences consciousness. We see separation between things in the environment because different things have different attributes and trying to broadly paint them all the same thing is pointless.

Ditto with our brains, though, right, if we base our assumptions what we experience based on our limited experience of reality? Consciousness appears to be just as much an interaction between the things in our environment as the neurological processes of our brains.

Does our consciousness end at our brainstem? Does it include the water in our brains? Does it include the blood in our brains? The nerves in my toes? The rush of heat energy into the environment? The structures in my eyes capturing and processing light? The chemical receptors in my mouth? Without the outside stimuli, what would my consciousness be?

 

[ADigitalArtist]

Ditto with our brains, though. Consciousness appears to be just as much an interaction between the things in our environment as the neurological processes of our brains.

Does our consciousness end at our brainstem? Does it include the water in our brains? Does it include the blood in our brains? The nerves in my toes? The rush of heat energy into the environment? The structures in my eyes capturing and processing light? The chemical receptors in my mouth? Without the outside stimuli, what would my consciousness be?

I believe it does end at our brains, yes. But there are key parts of our brain that, if damaged, leads to the entire destruction of our consciousness. Same with a computer.