For example, an electron shooting through space
will move in a straight line. However, if I place a magnet near the
electron, the magnetic field will alter the path of the electron causing
the electron to move in a different direction. Then was the electron
“aware” of the magnetic field? The answer is YES because we can observe
that the magnet’s field altered the path of the electron’s movement.
However, if I play some music as the electron is moving, the music
will not affect the movement of the electron. Therefore, the electron
is not responding to the music. We might say the electron is not
“aware” of the music, which by definition means, the electron may not be
“conscious” of the music.
In summary, we can measure the “consciousness” of something by how it
responds to stimuli. Electrons respond to only a few stimuli and
humans respond to millions of stimuli. The electron is only a little
“conscious.” A human is millions of times more “conscious” than an
electron. But, BOTH are conscious by definition.
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