Panpsychism and why you should care

These are the Sons of Los, & these the Labourers of the Vintage
Thou seest the gorgeous clothed Flies that dance & sport in summer
Upon the sunny brooks & meadows: every one the dance
Knows in its intricate mazes of delight artful to weave:
Each one to sound his instruments of music in the dance,
To touch each other & recede; to cross & change & return
These are the Children of Los; thou seest the Trees on mountains
The wind blows heavy, loud they thunder thro' the darksom sky
Uttering prophecies & speaking instructive words to the sons
Of men: These are the Sons of Los! These the Visions of Eternity
But we see only as it were the hem of their garments
When with our vegetable eyes we view these wond'rous Visions
William Blake, Milton I 26:1-12, [E123]

Conor Kostick leads a discussion with Andy Wilson about panpsychism, a philosophy gaining popularity with its account of how awareness is baked into matter as a fundamental property from the outset. Conor and Andy discuss:

• the current popularity of panpsychism

• what its basic idea is

• the ‘composition problem’ in explaining consciousness

• Galileo’s idea of science

• hierarchies of consciousness

• animal consciousness

• the possibility of higher forms of consciousness

• cultural resistance to panpsychism