Summary of The Origin of Consciousness – How Unaware Things Became Aware

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The three-part video series looks at how an animal can develop consciousness by pursuing food, how memory and object permanence enable a self to remain focused on its goal, and how language allows for complex levels of communication. If you're interested in learning more about the origins of consciousness, this video series is a good place to start.

• 00:00:00 Consciousness is the ability to be aware of our surroundings and of our own inner state. Unconscious things, like stones, may eventually develop consciousness as they become mobile and directed towards food. Living things, such as worms, develop consciousness as they become able to see and perceive their surroundings. Finally, animals that can see and perceive their surroundings, but have a specific objective in mind, develop consciousness further by adding a sense of direction.
• 00:05:00 The Origin of Consciousness is a topic of interest to many people, and this video series explores some of the possible origins of consciousness. The first video looks at how an animal can pursue food if it escapes its sensory range, and how this inner representation of the world enables a self to remain focused on its goal. Memory and object permanence (the awareness that things continue to exist even when we can't see them) are also discussed. The second video looks at the ability of some mammals and birds to mind-read, which is crucial for complex levels of consciousness. The third and final video looks at language and its ability to represent what is absent, hypothesize about the world, and communicate with others. If you're interested in learning more about the origins of consciousness, this video series is a good place to start.