gift of consciousness

 The human mind can't be copied or quantified .  It's God's gift to us. Consciousness cannot be imitated or quantified. It is a gift from God to mankind.

Consciousness – A Mystery for Science, A Gift for Humanity

Human consciousness is a complex phenomenon that resists straightforward categorisation, despite its seemingly simple nature. Modern secular science continues to explore questions surrounding the origins of consciousness and even its very existence, but no comprehensive scientific explanation has emerged thus far. The origins of consciousness, however, may be closer to being uncovered than many realize.

What is Consciousness?

Consciousness, at its core, is a fundamental mental state that allows us to be aware of our own existence, our emotions, and the surrounding physical world. While consciousness is not exclusive to humans, animals also experience it, though their awareness tends to be more limited. Unlike humans, animals do not recognise their own existence and lack the concept of self-awareness.

Consciousness is a natural state for all human beings. However, irregularities can arise. These irregularities may manifest as confusion, mental clouding, excessive drowsiness, loss of consciousness, or coma. Such disruptions are typically associated with impaired brain function, which acts as the core centre of consciousness.

The Mystery of Consciousness

The existence of consciousness, whether in humans or animals, presents a profound puzzle for science. This is evident in the views expressed by prominent scientists such as Professor Stuart Sutherland and Professor Jerry Fodor. In 1989, Professor Sutherland remarked on the nature of consciousness in International Dictionary of Psychology, stating that: ‘Consciousness is a fascinating but elusive phenomenon. It is impossible to specify what it is, what it does, or why it evolved. Nothing worth reading has been written on it’.1

Meanwhile, Prof. Fodor highlights the magnitude of the mystery surrounding consciousness, ‘Nobody has the slightest idea how anything material could be conscious. Nobody even knows what it would be like to have the slightest idea about how anything material could be conscious’.2

Consciousness According to Evolutionists

Scientists who strictly adhere to materialism, naturalism, and reductionism seek to explain all phenomena through natural processes. Francis Crick, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA, encapsulated this viewpoint when he stated: ‘Biologists must constantly keep in mind that what they see was not designed, but rather evolved’.3 This perspective reflects a deliberate disregard for alternative explanations.

A similar approach is taken when considering the nature of consciousness. Many scientists argue that consciousness arises from the activity of brain neurons, yet the precise workings of this process remain a mystery. The mechanism through which it might function is equally unclear. Philosopher Professor Colin McGinn poses the fundamental question: ‘How can a collection of millions of individual unconscious neurons generate subjective consciousness?’4 This prompts the consideration that there is no intrinsic reason to believe they could do so.

Challenges for Materialists

McGinn’s question is not without merit. Secular scientists, irrespective of their personal beliefs, remain uncertain about the origins of human consciousness. While there is a consensus that consciousness evolved over millions of years, no plausible mechanism for its evolution has been put forward.

As a result, scientists offer a variety of perspectives. One theory, rooted in quantum mechanics, suggests that consciousness arises from the unpredictable behaviour of matter at the quantum level. Another, known as panpsychism, proposes that consciousness is an inherent feature of all matter. Within this view, some, such as Professor Philip Goff, contend that consciousness (or mind) is simply a fundamental characteristic of matter itself.5

However, these claims remain unsupported by scientific evidence. In evolutionary science, materialism and naturalism have often been embraced before the evidence could fully substantiate them. This was the case with debates over the age of the Earth and the theory of evolution. A similar situation applies to the study of consciousness. As the phenomenon of consciousness remains inadequately understood, scientists often rely on materialism and naturalism, granting them scientific ‘authority’ without sufficient empirical backing.

Is Consciousness an Illusion?

The insufficient investigation into consciousness has led some scientists and philosophers to argue that it is simply an illusion generated by the brain. Cognitive scientist Professor Daniel Dennett articulated this perspective with the following remark: ‘We are robots made of robots made of robots’.6 Similarly, Professor Susan Blackmore is one of those who contend that consciousness is an illusion.7 Interestingly, both she and Dennett openly recognise that they do not fully understand what consciousness is. Nevertheless, this does not deter them from asserting, without sufficient evidence, that it is simply an illusion.

Awareness

Photo 1. © Source: Canva.

The Failure of Naturalism

The nature and origin of consciousness remain entirely beyond the reach of secular science. The experience of consciousness is fundamentally distinct from anything in the material world. While scientists and philosophers, including Daniel Dennett, may draw comparisons between consciousness and the functioning of computers or robots, this analogy is deeply problematic. Computers and robots, after all, do not operate with consciousness or thoughtfulness.

Even artificial intelligence (a rapidly evolving area of computer science) is distinct from the notion of artificial consciousness. AI consists of models and programmes that allow machines to learn and complete specific tasks. This, however, does not suggest that machines are aware of the tasks they perform, think in any meaningful sense (as they merely execute calculations and follow algorithms), or have any perception of themselves or their surroundings.

Consciousness Does Not Arise from Matter

The true nature of consciousness remains beyond the grasp of materialistic explanations. If human consciousness cannot be adequately described by material and physical laws, it suggests that we must consider factors beyond mere matter. Notably, even some figures within the New Atheist movement acknowledge that matter alone cannot explain consciousness. Sam Harris, a prominent ally of Richard Dawkins, highlights this issue by stating: ‘The problem is that the brain, as a physical system, doesn’t seem to support this particular, inner dimension that each of us experiences as our own consciousness. Consciousness might be a much simpler phenomenon than living beings and their brains. And there seems to be no obvious way to experimentally rule out such a hypothesis”.8

The brain allows us to think, reflect, remember, recall, feel, plan, consider, and calculate. It also makes it possible for us to be aware of our own existence (i.e., to experience consciousness) and to engage with our five senses and emotions. The material properties of the brain and its components, such as neurons, do not necessarily explain the existence of our consciousness or individuality, particularly since neurons die and are replaced by new ones, yet our consciousness remains consistent.

What Does the Bible Say?

We must therefore consider the presence of a non-physical element that interacts with the physical brain, making a person complete.9 According to the Bible, humans are made up of body, mind, and spirit.10 The body, formed from the dust of the earth, combines with the spirit, the breath of life, to create a living being with a soul (the mind).11 Our mind exists through the union of the body (the brain) and the spirit or breath of life, which is given to us by God. Only through this union can a person live and act. Upon death, the body decays, the mind (including consciousness) ceases, and the inactive spirit returns to God.12

Conclusion

While consciousness may remain an enigma for science, it is ultimately a precious gift from God to humanity. Through consciousness, we are able to experience the awareness of our existence, much like God does. We are not only living beings, but also self-aware, capable of reflecting on our own being. The theory of evolution offers no explanation for the origin of consciousness, and it seems unlikely that it ever will. Only a being like God could grant humanity the gift of consciousness.