Epigraph:

وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ ۖ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُم مِّنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا 

And they ask you concerning the soul. Say, ‘The soul is by the command of my Lord; and of the knowledge thereof you have been given but a little.’ (Al Quran 17:85)

Written and collected by Zia H Shah MD, Chief Editor of the Muslim Times

Human consciousness has been baffling for scientists and philosophers for centuries. So different theories to understand consciousness abound.

Panpsychism posits that consciousness is a fundamental and ubiquitous aspect of reality, suggesting that all matter possesses some form of consciousness or experience. This perspective has garnered both support and criticism within philosophical circles.

In a recent survey in 2020 of 1800 academic philosophers in North America, Europe and Australia, only 2% of philosophers considered Panpsychism to be true.[1]

Arguments in Favor of Panpsychism

1. Solution to the Hard Problem of Consciousness: Proponents argue that panpsychism offers a compelling solution to the “hard problem of consciousness,” which concerns explaining how subjective experience arises from physical processes. By positing that consciousness is inherent in all matter, panpsychism circumvents the challenge of explaining its emergence from non-conscious entities. Philosopher Philip Goff asserts, “Materialists who claim both that reality can be exhaustively described in the objective vocabulary of physical science and that there are subjective properties are quite simply contradicting themselves.” Wikipedia
2. Intrinsic Nature of Physical Entities: Panpsychism addresses the issue that physics describes the behavior of matter but not its intrinsic nature. Philosopher Galen Strawson contends that physicalism entails panpsychism, as the experiential is a fundamental aspect of the physical. Wikipedia
3. Continuity in Nature: Advocates highlight the continuity between simple and complex systems, suggesting that if complex organisms like humans possess consciousness, simpler forms of consciousness might exist in simpler systems. This perspective aligns with the idea that consciousness did not abruptly emerge but gradually developed, reflecting a continuum in nature.

Critiques of Panpsychism

1. Lack of Empirical Evidence: Critics argue that panpsychism lacks empirical support and is not falsifiable, making it speculative. Philosopher Massimo Pigliucci notes that panpsychism “amounts to the feeling that quantum mechanics sure is weird, and consciousness sure is weird, so maybe quantum mechanics can explain consciousness,” suggesting that the theory relies on tenuous connections. Wikipedia
2. Combination Problem: A significant challenge for panpsychism is explaining how simple forms of consciousness combine to form the complex consciousness observed in higher organisms. This “combination problem” questions the coherence of panpsychism, as it remains unclear how individual conscious experiences integrate into a unified, higher-level consciousness. Springer Link
3. Philosophical Speculation: Some view panpsychism as an unfounded philosophical speculation that complicates the understanding of consciousness without providing explanatory power. The Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy notes that panpsychism “is an option that deserves more attention in the future,” but also acknowledges that it may receive little empirical justification, leading some critics to deem it “useless speculation.” Routledge Education Portal

Conclusion

Panpsychism presents an intriguing framework for understanding consciousness as a pervasive feature of the universe. While it offers potential solutions to longstanding philosophical dilemmas, it faces substantial challenges, including a lack of empirical evidence and unresolved theoretical issues. The debate over panpsychism continues, reflecting the complexity of the quest to comprehend consciousness.

Reference

1. https://dailynous.com/2021/11/01/what-philosophers-believe-results-from-the-2020-philpapers-survey/