What If Consciousness Exists in All Things?

Can that houseplant be trained to get you a beer?

Yesterday, I listened to a podcast featuring science writer Zoë Schlanger, who wrote an interesting-sounding book called The Light Eaters, about actual scientific research exploring whether plants have consciousness. I’m not putting you on — this is one of those “Frankenstein” ideas that could upset the entire scientific apple cart.

Schlanger says there’s also research being conducted into whether consciousness can be observed in animals and even insects. That has to be tricky work because our own form of consciousness is difficult to quantify. Sometimes, even to observe.

Evidence has been gathered showing that plants and animals often collaborate in ways we’re only beginning to understand. Trees in the forest share nutrients with other trees through underground networks of fungus fibers. They do it so the ones that are too short to get enough sun can survive. They’ve evolved complex ways to keep the whole forest healthy, so they themselves have a better chance. Yes, trees are socialists.

But what if it’s true that everything that’s alive is conscious? Bacteria are known to communicate with each other. And we know the microbes in our gut play a role in our mental processes, although it’s not clear how that works. It’s certainly not working well enough.

My wife is reading Ed Yong’s mind-blowing book, I Contain Multitudes, and recently, while sitting on the couch, said, “There are so many microbes on and in my body that if I suddenly disappeared, and all that was left were the microbes, it would still look like I was sitting here.” That was a weird mental picture, and it made me wonder whether my wife and I have a relationship or just our microbes do.

But, why is non-human consciousness such a radical idea? Some ancient peoples believed everything is alive, and maybe they had a better handle on it than we do. Personally, I love nature. I watch it on TV all the time.