The article explores the “hard problem” of consciousness, arguing that traditional science, with its focus on quantitative measurement, is fundamentally ill-equipped to explain subjective experience. It proposes panpsychism – the idea that consciousness is a fundamental aspect of matter itself – as a potential solution, suggesting that everything in the universe, from humans to electrons, possesses an inner, subjective aspect. This perspective challenges the reductionist approach of breaking things down into smaller parts and encourages a more holistic view of reality, potentially revolutionizing our understanding of consciousness and its role in the universe.

Editor’s Note: If consciousness permeates all of existence, our current societal structures, built on a foundation of separation, objectification, and exploitation, are fundamentally flawed. We’ve erred in prioritizing the measurable over the meaningful, the external over the internal, blinding ourselves to the interconnectedness of all things. Recognizing consciousness as a universal property would necessitate a radical shift in our worldview, fostering empathy, reverence for nature, and a profound sense of responsibility toward all beings. This transformation could reshape our relationships, our institutions, and our very understanding of reality, moving us from a paradigm of domination to one of collaboration, from a focus on material accumulation to a celebration of inner experience, and ultimately, from a fragmented world to a unified whole. It calls for a science that embraces subjectivity, an economy rooted in sustainability, and a society that values consciousness as the most precious resource of all.

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