Evolution and Devolution of Consciousness
Human beings are always changing. We are different beings, minute to minute. Moment to moment. It is the reality of living as a biological organism.
On a physical level, our brains haven’t changed structure for at least 13 000 years. But although cavemen had the same brains as we do, it does not mean however that they had the same minds. Although we are biologically similar, our collective and individual consciousnesses have been raised by modernity. By ethics and philosophy. By scientific understanding and empathic learning.
Consciousness exists on a spectrum and, like the rest of us, is never static. One can move up or down the spectrum of consciousness — full of empathic understanding one day, a callous caveman the next. Up and down we’re able to go, down and up again — maybe further than before, maybe not.
Though readily perceptible in humans, due to our capacity for conceptual language, other species of being are just as capable of moving up the spectrum, especially once liberated from the primitive Darwinian struggle of the food chain. It’s why dogs can live with, and love, cats. Why cats can live with, and love, rats. Why rats can live with, and empathise with humans.
We humans are only partly rational. Imperfect evolution has meant that our biological bodies (as opposed to our conceptual selves) have pre-frontal lobes that are too small and adrenal glands that are too big.
Our consciousness therefore, not just our brains (the imperfect machines of flesh that enable it) — is our most reliable source of self-improvement. Our continuing, slippery journey to greater Awareness of ourselves, the world we live in, and those we share it with.
Improvement is not a natural given. Cancers, defects, diseases and bad ideas keep us sliding back toward our more primitive, tribal and less communicative states. It is a microcosmic example of the forces of entropy and deconstruction subtracting from our existence.
But our higher intellect — our empathy and creativity — are always pushing back. Making the arduous climb, both individually and collectively as a species, again and again. The Sisyphean nature of this quest can seem a frustrating, even cruel or impossible fate. But so long as we (individually and collectively) continue to try to improve, we will keep the beckoning darkness of ignorance at bay.
If we continue to stubbornly climb the Spectrum of Consciousness, where might we be in another 13,000 years?
This article was written by Lord Reverie (Lady Reverie’s partner). I have decided that I want to share some of his writings on this blog alongside my own, because our ideas evolve from conversations we have together. In fact the name of this blog comes from the name we give to letters we send each other on themes such as consciousness, ethics, philosophy etc. It is fitting that I share some of his “reveries” with you. All articles written by Lord Reverie will be labelled as such, all others will continue to be attributed to myself. — Lady Reverie
