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Consciousness: A Strange Theory

Is consciousness everywhere? Humans are conscious, but is consciousness also in tables and chairs? David Chalmers explains why this claim is worth taking seriously.

Is consciousness everywhere? Human consciousness - our subjective experience - remains a mystery. How is it that we can smell coffee and feel the touch of a flower? How does the brain produce consciousness? Well, one of the world’s top philosophers, David Chalmers, has a suggestion. Perhaps consciousness exists everywhere, in some form; perhaps it exists in every subatomic particle – the particles that make up not just humans, but tables and chairs. It sounds completely wacky, but Professor Chalmers explains why it’s a theory worth taking seriously.

Presenter David Edmonds

Producer Ben Cooper

(Image: Glittering Particles Credit: Shutterstock)

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11 minutes

Podcast