this post was submitted on 06 May 2026
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IMHO it's a sliding scale not a simple yes/no question.
Is a single cell conscious? It reacts to stimuli in a very basic manner, so there is a rudimentary awareness and I would put it towards the lower end of the consciousness scale. Can it perceive itself though aka does it have self-awareness? I doubt it. But where does (self-)consciousness or awareness start? That's probably the same as asking "What's life"? People have been debating the question for ages and there are edge cases that blur the lines such as viruses.