The Relativity of Consciousness: A Biological and Contextual Phenomenon
Begum Yildirim
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) May 19, 2026 preprint DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.20285675 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that consciousness is a relative phenomenon, not an absolute or universal one, shaped by an organism's biological structure, perceptual capacity, and environmental context, and therefore varies across species, individuals, and circumstances. The author proposes this framework as a basis for interdisciplinary research and ethical considerations. |
Abstract
Consciousness has been a central topic in both philosophy and science, often debated as either a purely physical phenomenon or a metaphysical construct. This paper proposes an alternative perspective: consciousness as a relative phenomenon, shaped by a living organism's biological structure, perceptual capacity, and environmental context. By integrating insights from neuroscience, evolutionary biology, and phenomenology, this paper argues that consciousness is neither absolute nor universal but varies across species, individuals, and circumstances. This approach not only redefines our understanding of consciousness but also opens new pathways for interdisciplinary research and ethical considerations. Originality and AI-use statement: This work is an original research output by Begüm Yıldırım. AI tools, if used, were limited to language refinement, grammar correction, formatting, translation assistance, and clarity improvement. The conceptual framework, research direction, interpretation, models, and conclusions belong to the author. External sources, datasets, or prior works are cited where applicable.