Scientists probe the chemical origins of self-awareness in life

New findings in microbiology and chemical space, such as the recognition of cognitive abilities in basic life forms and the discovery of a novel dimension in chemical systems, provide understanding into the physical foundation of life's mental dimension and the onset of consciousness. This study, conducted by Dr. Addy Pross and Dr. Robert Pascal and published in the Israel Journal of Chemistry, offers a potential advancement in resolving the age-old "mind from matter" dilemma.

According to the study, the conventional scientific wisdom that life emerged from non-life some 3.5 billion years ago prompts the question of how inert matter was able to acquire mental capabilities during that evolutionary process. How could material "stuff" of any kind have become self-aware and able to think? In recent scientific developments, the enigma of life's mental dimension has taken a step closer to resolution.

The study claimed that two discoveries are shedding light on this mystery. First, recent advances in microbiology propose that even the simplest forms of life exhibit advanced cognitive abilities, hinting at an early initiation of such capacities within the evolutionary process, possibly rooted within chemistry. Second, the recent identification of a dimension within chemical space of dynamic kinetically stable (DKS) systems offers an explanation for the emergence of non-physical traits, such as cognition and a sense of "self." Such capabilities can arise since DKS systems are in continual dynamic interaction with their environment, one might say "chemically cognitive." When integrated with a physically based account of evolution, these findings provide a plausible framework for understanding the chemical foundation of life's mental state and its origin.

The study argued that these revelations challenge the conventional perspective on the mind by suggesting that cognitive abilities were likely present in life forms from their inception. The association between microbiology and the dynamics of certain energized chemical systems introduces a paradigm shift in our comprehension of life's mental attributes and a compelling explanation for the non-physical characteristics associated with cognition and self-awareness. A door to unraveling the longstanding mystery of how mind and matter intertwine may be emerging. This newfound understanding may pave the way for transformative insights into how a mental dimension was able to emerge from a physical one. 

The Israel Journal of Chemistry: Robert Pascal, Addy Pross. Mind from Matter: The Chemical Connection. Wiley (2023). DOI: doi.org/10.1002/ijch.202300038