Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the idea that some kind of consciousness is present not just in our human brains but throughout the universe, right down to cells or even electrons. This is panpsychism and its proponents argue it offers a compelling alternative to those who say we are nothing but matter, like machines, and to those who say we are both matter and something else we might call soul. It is a third way. Critics argue panpsychism is implausible, an example of how not to approach this problem, yet interest has been growing widely in recent decades partly for the idea itself and partly in the broader context of understanding how consciousness arises. With Tim Crane Professor of Philosophy and Pro-Rector at the Central European University Director of Research, FWF Cluster of Excellence, Knowledge in Crisis Joanna Leidenhag, Associate Professor in Theology and Philosophy at the University of Leeds And Philip Goff Professor of Philosophy at Durham University Producer: Simon Tillotson Reading list: Anthony Freeman (ed.), Consciousness and Its Place in Nature: Does Physicalism Entail Panpsychism? (Imprint Academic, 2006), especially 'Realistic Monism' by Galen Strawson Philip Goff, Galileo's Error: Foundations for A New Science of Consciousness (Pantheon, 2019) Philip Goff, Why? The Purpose of the Universe (Oxford University Press, 2023) David Ray Griffin, Unsnarling the World-Knot: Consciousness, Freedom and the Mind-Body Problem (Wipf & Stock, 2008) Joanna Leidenhag, Minding Creation: Theological Panpsychism and the Doctrine of Creation (Bloomsbury, 2021) Joanna Leidenhag, ‘Panpsychism and God’ (Philosophy Compass Vol 17, Is 12, e12889) Hedda Hassel Mørch, Non-physicalist Theories of Consciousness (Cambridge University Press, 2024) Thomas Nagel, Mortal Questions (Cambridge University Press, 2012), especially the chapter 'Panpsychism' David Skrbina, Panpsychism in the West (MIT Press, 2007) James van Cleve, 'Mind-Dust or Magic? Panpsychism versus Emergence' (Philosophical Perspectives Vol. 4, Action Theory and Philosophy of Mind, Ridgeview Publishing Company, 1990)
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According to panpsychists, some kind of consciousness is present not just in our human brains, but throughout the universe, right down to cells or even electrons.
This idea that, they argue, offers a compelling alternative to those who say we're nothing but matter like machines, and to those who say we're both matter and something else we might call soul.
It's a third way.
Critics argue that panpsychism is implausible, an example of how not to approach this problem.
Yet interests been growing widely in recent decades, partly for the idea itself and partly in the broader context of understanding how consciousness arises.
With me to discuss panpsychism are Tim Crane, professor of philosophy and pro rector at the Central European University, Joanna Ladenhage, associate professor in theology and philosophy at the University of Leeds, and Philip Goff, professor of philosophy at Durham University.
Philip Gough, how would you define panpsychism?
Panpsychism is the view that consciousness is a fundamental and ubiquitous feature of the physical universe.
It doesn't necessarily mean everything is conscious.
The basic commitment is that the fundamental building blocks of the physical universe, perhaps fundamental particles like electrons and quarks, have incredibly simple forms of conscious experience, and then that the very complex experience of the human or animal brain is somehow built up from these simpler forms of consciousness.
At the level of fundamental physics, a panpsychists need not think this table is conscious, but they may very well think the small particles making it up have some kind of very simple conscious experience.
And what do you mean by conscious experience?
Yeah, a good question, because it is a bit of an ambiguous word.
The standard definition of scientists and philosophers is that your consciousness is just what it's like to be you.
So right now you're having an auditory experience of my voice speaking to you, visual experience of the room around you, tactile sensations of the chair beneath your body.