The Universe may be Conscious

Some scientists gradually admit that the universe may be conscious, or possess proto-consciousness.
This concept may be called Panpsychism.
Gregory Matloff (physicist and professor at New York College of Technology) in an article admitted that humans can be similar to the universe in substance and consciousness.
Matloff believes that Panpsychism could explain dark matter (which makes up 95% of the universe).

He is testing this thesis through the Parenago's Discontinuity, a strange feature of Milky Way star rotation. Some stars move faster using apparently "consciously" unidirectional jets.

The theoretical physicist Bernard Haisch, in 2006, suggested that consciousness is produced and transmitted through the quantum vacuum, or empty space. Any system that has sufficient complexity and creates a certain level of energy can generate or transmit consciousness.


Another supporter of Panpsychism is Christof Koch of the Allen Institute for Brain Science.

"The only dominant theory we have of consciousness is that it is associated with complexity - the ability of a system to act on its own state and determine its own destiny," Koch argues. “The theory states that it could boil down to very simple systems. In principle, some purely physical systems that are not biological or organic may also be conscious. "


Some prominent physicists and neuroscientists believe that the whole universe participates in consciousness (panpsychism).


Sources:  Mind Matters  / NBC News



Note about Panpsychism:
From the Greek pan, «all» + psykhé, «soul» + ism. An 18th century doctrine especially noted by Leibniz, who argues that all matter, however small, is endowed with individual consciousness.
David Chalmers proposed the concept of "panprotopsychism" in which objects only have a "proto-consciousness" and this could become a more complete form of consciousness when these objects group together.
In this case the consciousness (would be formed collectively) also by stars, galaxies, nebulae and worlds inhabited throughout the Universe.



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