The idea that existence and consciousness are fundamentally intertwined has been explored by numerous philosophers, scientists, and thinkers across different eras. Here are some references and quotes that back up the notion that "existence only has meaning if consciousness exists, ergo existence is consciousness":
1. George Berkeley’s Idealism:
- Berkeley, an 18th-century philosopher, argued that existence depends on being perceived, summarized in his famous dictum “Esse est percipi” (To be is to be perceived).
- He claimed that the objects we perceive only exist insofar as they are perceived by a consciousness, effectively arguing that existence is inherently linked to consciousness.
- Quote: “The only thing whose existence we deny is that which philosophers call matter or corporeal substance. And in doing so, we do no more than deny that they exist without the mind.” (A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human KnowledgeA Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human KnowledgeA Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge, 1710)
2. Max Planck on Consciousness and Matter:
- Max Planck, a founder of quantum theory, believed that consciousness is foundational to all existence, seeing it as something that creates and organizes the material universe.
- Quote: “I regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as derivative from consciousness. We cannot get behind consciousness. Everything that we talk about, everything that we regard as existing, postulates consciousness.” (1931 interview, The Observer)
3. Erwin Schrödinger’s Perspective on Unity of Consciousness:
- Schrödinger, one of the key figures in quantum mechanics, argued that consciousness is a singular and universal phenomenon, suggesting that consciousness is essential to the meaning of existence.
- Quote: “Consciousness is a singular of which the plural is unknown; there is only one thing and that is consciousness. That is the fundamental characteristic of consciousness, that it is a unity.” (What Is Life?, 1944)
4. Søren Kierkegaard on Subjectivity and Existence:
- Kierkegaard, a Danish philosopher, emphasized the importance of subjective consciousness in understanding existence. He argued that existence gains meaning through individual subjective experience and awareness.
- Quote: “Truth is subjectivity... it is impossible to exist without passion, unless, of course, existence has no meaning.” (Concluding Unscientific Postscript to Philosophical Fragments, 1846)
5. Jean-Paul Sartre and Existentialism:
- Sartre’s existential philosophy underscores that existence precedes essence, meaning that human existence gains meaning through self-consciousness and the subjective experience of the individual.
- Quote: “Man is nothing else but what he makes of himself. Such is the first principle of existentialism.” (Existentialism Is a Humanism, 1946)
6. Eastern Philosophy - Advaita Vedanta:
- Advaita Vedanta, a school of Hindu philosophy, teaches that the ultimate reality, Brahman, is pure consciousness, and that the self (Atman) and Brahman are ultimately the same.
- Quote: “Consciousness alone is real. Consciousness is the world.” — Ramana Maharshi, an influential teacher of Advaita Vedanta. *Amazon Disclosure
7. Thomas Nagel’s Concept of Subjective Reality:
- In his essay What is it Like to Be a Bat?, Nagel argued that subjective experience, or consciousness, is the essence of reality as we perceive it, emphasizing that without consciousness, existence lacks subjective meaning.
- Quote: “The fact that an organism has conscious experience at all means, basically, that there is something it is like to be that organism.” .(What is it Like to Be a Bat?, 1974) *Amazon Disclosure
Conclusion
These thinkers, from Western philosophers like Berkeley and Sartre to scientists like Planck and Schrödinger, converge on a central idea: existence is profoundly tied to consciousness. Without consciousness to perceive or interpret, existence itself may lack the meaning we ascribe to it. This rich tradition of thought supports the statement, “Existence only has meaning if consciousness exists, ergo existence is consciousness,” aligning with the notion that consciousness provides the very framework through which existence is understood and valued.