The Politics of Consciousness
The MIT Press eBooks December 16, 2025 DOI: 10.7551/mitpress/14600.003.0009 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThe author argues that science's failure to understand consciousness is the most significant gap in the scientific worldview, and that this gap is becoming dangerously consequential in the 21st century. Because humanity is gaining the ability to re-engineer life without comprehending consciousness, there is a risk of misusing this power in terrible ways. The text presents consciousness as the key to understanding life itself.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Politics Power physics Relation database Key lock Self-consciousness |
| Key finding | Argues that the scientific lack of understanding of consciousness is a critical and dangerous lacuna, as it may lead to misuse of power when re-engineering life. |
Abstract
In relation to his interest in consciousness, he says, "I believe the question of consciousness is the key to understanding life.The fact that science does not understand consciousness is the greatest lacuna in the scientific worldview.And in the twenty-first century, this lacuna is becoming extremely dangerous.For we are now acquiring the ability to reengineer life.If we indeed learn how to re-engineer life before we understand consciousness, we might misuse our power in truly terrible ways.