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Are Rocks Conscious?

by Christian de Quincey, PhD

There’s no such thing as a “consciousness meter,” so how would we ever know if rocks, or plants, or other animals tingle with the spark of spirit? Philosopher de Quincey tells a story of one student who could not accept the possibility that rocks may be nonconscious. He points out that science aims to tell us about the actual world, while philosophy explores possible worlds.

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