(I'm happy to report that I have exchanged emails with professor Nick Lane, and he gives me a supportive thumbs up for this effort.)
Here Dr. Nick Lane describes the source; where the metaphorical spark; that starts the cascade; that makes us, us; is to be found.
I share extensive quotes from Dr. Nick Lane’s recent book Transformer, specifically its epilogue, “Self” — which seems to me the best, most up to date, street level summary of current scientific understanding regarding our physical body, as the ultimate source of our thoughts and feelings, in short our mind & soul.
Why do I believe this is important? Because, Evolution and biological realities receive too much hollow lip service, and too little detailed attention. Philosophers tend to keep it within the bubble of their thoughts. Seemingly valuing dialogue more than getting into the weeds of evolutionary biology to find out what nature & evolution has to teach us about the source of consciousness.
What follows is offered as food for thought. An invitation to explore Nick Lane’s report. To gain a deeper understanding of how the interaction between body, brain, and life itself gives rise to our consciousness — and while all the details aren’t filled in, an internally consistent outline is becoming clear enough — backed by the consilience of scientific evidence. We should start taking it seriously.
As Dr. Solms points out elsewhere: the best way to understand consciousness is, as a reflection of our body/brain communicating with itself. This is my puny challenge to philosophy departments to take notice, and start formulating better, more relevant questions regarding our human condition.
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Professor Nick Lane PhD writes in his epilogue to the book “Transformer”
I claim fair use, to justify this reprinting and sharing
¶1 “ ‘I think therefore I am’ said Descartes, in one of the most celebrated lines ever written. But what am I, exactly? … What is a quantum of solace?”
¶2 “In this book, we’ve explored the dynamic side of biochemistry, the continuous flow of energy and matter that makes us alive. …”
