and relativity; and quantum physics. How positively exciting!
All our science to date points to deeper and more nuanced con-
nectivity and interdependence. Not only is all of life on Earth deeply
interconnected, but life interacts profoundly with other planetary
processes, such as climate and geology. Recent findings reveal that
the symbiotic relationship we have with trillions of microorganisms
living within our bodies far surpasses anything previously known
or imagined. There is deep interconnectivity and interdependence
everywhere we look. The expanded perspectives outlined above sug-
gest that consciousness may be interwoven into this connectivity in
deeply significant ways. The task now is to see where such expanded
perspectives take us, empirically.
How we choose to define and understand mind has a powerful impact
on our lives at every level. It influences our biomedical science—and
how we relate to our bodies, in health and disease. It influences our
relationship with technology and the environment, our concepts of
past and future, and our connections with ancestors and descendants.
Questions about the nature of mind can evoke notions of spirit and
soul, and the many different definitions, connotations, and emotional
reactions people have related to these terms. Investigation of who we
are and how we are related to the rest of the universe can bring one
into what is generally considered the territory of religion and, some
maintain, outside the domain of science. This can be unsettling, to
individuals in either camp. Distressing or not, questions regarding the
ultimate nature of reality and of mind are of interest both to science
and to religious and spiritual traditions and can provide opportunities
for useful dialogue.
That we may be poised for truly revolutionary developments in
neuroscience and cognitive science is exciting to contemplate. I hope