Cambridge Philosopher of Science natalie lawrence, Author with Paco Calvo to Plant wise: Revealing plant intelligence (Little, Brown, 2022), He tells us in IAI.TV, “New studies indicate the existence of consciousness in organisms that do not have brains.” It’s an argument for consciousness in plants and slime molds.
“It starts with rejection.”Difficult problem From human consciousness:
The deep entrenchment of this preconception is not surprising, given that our consciousness is the only consciousness we have access to. But this “braincentrism” is widespread in cognitive science, shaping our understanding of other organisms and research methods. It is a type of scientific chauvinism that currently limits the scope of research and hinders our scientific approach to other types of minds. June 15, 2026
She wonders why consciousness should be limited to organisms with neurons?
Across the philosophy of mind, it has become increasingly clear that there are fruitful ways to explore the origins and nature of consciousness beyond neural systems. However, the assumption of the necessity of minds is beginning to look like a tenuous position. On the radical frontier of cognitive science, the concept of what the mind can be and the diverse systems from which it can arise is expanding. By studying organisms that are very different from us and our vertebrate relatives – such as plants or slime molds – researchers are uncovering abilities that hint at minds that transcend conventional boundaries, from solving a maze to responding to anesthesia. June 15, 2026
Lawrence identifies a growing movement to see plants and slime molds as sentient:
Going forward, we need experimental strategies that do not start with human perception as a model of the mind. There is a growing network of researchers in the fields of science and philosophy who do this. For example, the Minimal Intelligence Laboratory (MINT Lab) in Spain is working with plant models to break new ground in the study of pervasive intelligence systems. Plant experience cannot be accessed directly through scientific research, so it must be approached indirectly through behavior and agents that can be tracked experimentally. The team, led by Professor Paco Calvo, explores how to apply experimental tools from cognitive science to study plant behaviors and distributed cognition.
In the current project, Behavioral Evidence for Plant Consciousness, for example, Calvo and his team are developing frameworks for testing whether plants are capable of performing advanced forms of learning. June 15, 2026
At these times, we can reasonably conclude that they will find what they are looking for. It’s not about manifesting consciousness in plants in this way What does awareness mean? It changes So that includes plants.
Arguments for plant awareness have been treated more positively
Paco Calvo, first author of Plant wiseHe is described In ResearchGate as a “leading figure in the philosophy of plant behavior and signaling” so these are not fringe figures. It is interesting to think about how much progress we have made Holistic spirituality (Everything is Conscious) was made in the last two decades.
For example, arguments in favor of plant consciousness are treated very favorably today, compared to what we would have expected fifty years ago – when they might have been taken as presumptive evidence of insanity (“dandelion”). He speaks Me!” = I need to intervene before I hurt myself.)
In fact, a neuroscience writer Anaka HarrisThe wife of materialistic neuroscientist Sam Harris tells us so Plants are sentient. Other scientists Protest in vain. The need to see humans as equals to animals has now extended to the need to see us as equals to plants. Some even believe us “Blind in spirit” If we doubt.
Of course, it is true that we have downplayed the perception of many life forms, viewing them as biological machines. But I think what’s really going on here is something like this: Instead of us being expected to believe that human consciousness is a thing delusion, We can accept that it exists – along with Cabbage cuttings And maybe Electronic mind. Instead of believing that nothing is conscious, we now have to believe that everything exists.
Materialist theory
In short, the theory of panpsychism – as it has established itself in scientific culture – is largely a materialist theory. It avoids absurdity Judicial materialism By recognizing that human consciousness is real. But then he tries to make human consciousness simple One example Among the many consciousnesses in nature. Perhaps this is why the belief that plants have minds seems plausible, perhaps even necessary.
In popular culture, this approach easily turns into… spirituality, The belief that plants are “nonhuman persons with whom we can maintain and develop social relationships.” The matter is likely to come to a head among those with political aspirations or power Plant rights movements, with varying impacts on vulnerable populations.
Plants can process information in ways we are not aware of; This is true, but anyone who seeks to evade the difficult problem of human consciousness by pointing to plant sensibilities is looking for a way to salvage and rename explosive materialism.
