Human Nature and the Origin of Consciousness
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) September 11, 2026 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.22713258 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Qualitative Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that consciousness is composite, combining biological and cultural conditions with a qualitative contribution attributed to the individual Spirit, termed "CEFA," and proposes an interdisciplinary research program that treats conscious life as a site of knowledge and transformation while specifying conditions for assessing its hypotheses. |
Abstract
This essay examines the origins and nature of human consciousness from the perspective of Illumanesimo, taking the critical capacity and the relationship between experience, meaning, and value as its starting points. Consciousness is understood as composite: biological and cultural conditions combine with a qualitative contribution attributed to the individual Spirit, termed CEFA. By distinguishing between body, mind, soul, and CEFA, the essay clarifies the role of mediation and the unity of personal experience. Engagement with Chalmers, Nagel, Searle, and integrated information theory brings affinities and differences into focus while distinguishing philosophical argument from empirical testing. The resulting proposal for interdisciplinary research approaches conscious life as a site of knowledge and transformation, setting out the conditions under which its hypotheses can be assessed.