The Evolution of Consciousness

Abstract

In this essay, I suggest that: (1) Consciousness (awareness) is a characteristic of all living things; (2) Consciousness evolved by Darwinian natural selection; (3) Consciousness is an emergent property, existing beyond its component parts; (4) Consciousness is essential to survival and reproductive success; (5) Consciousness exists in a hierarchy of complexity, from simple to sophisticated: (6) Consciousness is dynamic, varying according to the state of the organism; and (7) Machine consciousness (AIs) can exist only by emulating biological systems.