A Big Question of Consciousness

“For as long as I can remember, I’ve wrestled with my own thoughts and feelings about identity. Why am I, David, the person I am? How changeable is that? Where do those thoughts and feelings come from anyway, and what purposes do they ultimately serve? I suppose it’s no coincidence then that I’ve also always been so curious about the subject of human consciousness. That’s the area of science and philosophy — of human thinking generally! — that burrows most deeply into similar questions and, to varying degrees of satisfaction, offers a plethora of possible answers.

 

The best-selling author Michael Pollan has been thinking about these things, too. Throughout his work — which includes classic books like “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” (2006), about why we eat the way we do, and “How to Change Your Mind” (2018), about the science and uses of psychedelic drugs — Pollan has waded into ideas about the inner workings of the mind. Now, with his forthcoming book, “A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness,” which will arrive this month, he has jumped into the deep end. The book is both a highly personal and expansive multidisciplinary survey of questions around human consciousness — what it is, what causes it, what it’s for and what the possible answers might mean for how we choose to live. And as Pollan explained, with the rise of artificial intelligence as well as the relentless political pressure on our attention (that is, our minds), those questions, already profound, are becoming only more urgent.

 

I want to get some basics: How do you define consciousness? The simplest way to define consciousness is as subjective experience. Another one-word definition is “awareness.” Thomas Nagel, the N.Y.U. philosopher, wrote a piece back in the ’70s called “What Is It Like to Be a Bat?” His idea is: If we can imagine it is like anything to be a bat, then a bat is conscious, because that means it has some sort of subjective experience. Why did he choose bats? Well, they’re very different than we are. Instead of using eyesight, they use echolocation. They bounce signals off of objects to move through space. We can vaguely imagine going through the world with echolocation. Whereas my toaster, I can’t do that. I don’t have a sense of what it’s like to be my toaster.

 

A big question of consciousness is what the philosopher David Chalmers has referred to as the “hard problem.” Can you tell people what that is? Basically how you get from matter to mind, how you cross that huge gulf from neurons to subjective experience — a gulf no one has managed to cross. Related questions are: Why don’t all these things we do go on automatically? Why do we have to be aware of anything? We could be completely automated and perhaps get along just fine. Your brain is monitoring your body and making fine adjustments in the blood gasses, in the heart rate, in digestion. There’s a lot going on that we don’t have to think about. So why do we have to think about any of it?

 

Some interesting theories have been proposed.

 

One is that some of the issues that we deal with have to be decided in a conscious way. When you have two competing needs — you’re hungry and you’re tired — which should take precedence? So consciousness opens up this space of decision-making [1].

 

The other argument is that we live in a very complex social world where I have to predict what you’re going to say; I have to imagine my way into your head. You can’t automate human social interaction. It has too many elements. So consciousness is very helpful in navigating that world [2].”

 

1. Conscious decision-making is required to prioritize competing needs, such as hunger versus fatigue, opening up a specialized space for, and, in many cases, requiring, careful, deliberative, and, at times, difficult, and, often, stressful, choices. Generally, addressing extreme fatigue first may be safer or more critical for cognitive function, while severe hunger might require immediate fuel to prevent metabolic issues, though both are often linked, as stress can cause hunger-like sensations when one is just tired.

Factors for Decision Making:

 

    Priority: If you are extremely tired, your cognitive, emotional, and, sometimes, physical, functioning is likely impaired, making rest a higher priority for long-term health and, for, safety, as mentioned on Slower Hiking. 

    Physiological State: Hunger can be a result of stress rather than a true need for calories.

    Decision-Making Space: Consciousness provides the opportunity to evaluate these, and, other, competing needs rather than relying on automatic, and, and, in some, cases, incorrect, actions.

 

2. This argument highlights the fundamental limitation of artificial intelligence in replicating the nuanced, high-stakes, and unpredictable nature of human social interaction. The assertion that "you can’t automate human social interaction" is supported by several key factors in the field of artificial intelligence and cognitive science:

 

    The "Imagine My Way Into Your Head" (Theory of Mind) Problem: Humans possess a "theory of mind"—the ability to infer the internal states, emotions, and intentions of others, including those that differ from our own. AI currently lacks this capacity for genuine empathy, relying instead on programmed responses that cannot truly understand the "why" behind human actions.

    The Problem of Too Many Elements (Complexity): Real-world social interactions are dynamic, multi-modal, and context-dependent. They involve simultaneously processing verbal cues, body language, facial expressions, and situational context. A 2025 study showed that over 350 AI models struggled to understand such dynamic scenes, often failing to interpret the "story" or emotional intent behind them.

    Prediction and Unpredictability: Humans constantly predict what others will say or do next to navigate social worlds, especially in high-risk or complex scenarios (like negotiations or deep personal conversations). AI operates best in structured, rule-based environments, whereas human interactions are often messy, non-linear, and "irrational," making them difficult to model.

    Structural Limitations in AI Development: Many AI neural networks are modeled after the brain's visual processing areas (which interpret static images) rather than the areas responsible for processing dynamic social, behavioral scenes. This creates a fundamental, structural "blind spot" in AI's ability to understand social dynamics.

    The Importance of "Situated" Cognition: Human interaction is embodied and "situated" in a physical and social context. AI lacks this physical grounding and shared experience, meaning it cannot "read the room" the way humans do.

In short, while AI excels at logical tasks and pattern recognition, it faces a significant, possibly insurmountable gap in navigating the high-dimensional, nuanced, and emotional landscape of true human interaction.

 

HH70 yra Kinijos branduolių sintezės energijos bendrovės „Energy Singularity“ sukurtas tokamakas, veikiantis nuo 2024 m. birželio mėn. Kodėl jis geresnis už daugumą?

„Energy Singularity“ sukurtas ir nuo 2024 m. birželio mėn. veikiantis HH70 tokamakas laikomas pranašesniu dėl to, kad jame naudojami visiškai aukštos temperatūros superlaidūs (HTS) magnetai, todėl jis yra mažesnis, pigesnis ir efektyvesnis nei įprasti, didelio masto reaktoriai. Tai pirmasis pasaulyje visiškai HTS tokamakas, pasižymintis kompaktiška konstrukcija (apie 2 % įprasto tūrio), didelio lauko operacijoms naudojamos REBCO medžiagos, o iki 2026 m. pradžios pasiekta įspūdinga 1337 sekundžių trukmės pastoviosios būsenos plazmos srovė, taip skatinant komercinės branduolių sintezės galimybes.

Pagrindiniai HH70 išskirtinumo privalumai:

 

Visiškai aukštos temperatūros superlaidūs (HTS) magnetai: skirtingai nei įprasti įrenginiai (pvz., ITER), kuriuose naudojami žemos temperatūros superlaidininkai, kuriems reikalingas itin sudėtingas aušinimas, HH70 HTS magnetų sistema leidžia pasiekti aukštesnę darbinę temperatūrą ir stipresnius magnetinius laukus, teigiama Vikipedijoje.

 

Kompaktiškas ir ekonomiškas: retųjų žemių bario ir vario oksido (REBCO) naudojimas leidžia reaktoriui būti žymiai mažesniam – tik 2 % įprastų tokamakų tūrio, – o tai labai sumažina statybos sąnaudas ir laiką, kaip paaiškinta leidinyje „Įdomi inžinerija“.

 

Pažangus našumas ir stabilumas: 2026 m. vasarį įrenginys pademonstravo savo galimybes, palaikydamas stabilią, ilgo impulso plazmos srovę 1337 sekundes, kaip pranešė „Xinhua“.

 

Dirbtinio intelekto integravimas: projekte naudojamas dirbtinis intelektas, siekiant optimizuoti plazmos valdymo sistemą ir pagerinti stabilumą, praneša „Xinhua“. Spartus vystymasis: „Energy Singularity“ sukūrė HH70 vos per dvejus metus, pasiekdama superlaidžiojo tokamako sparčiausio kūrimo rekordą.

 

HH70 tarnauja kaip bandymų platforma dar galingesnių, komerciškai perspektyvesnių reaktorių kūrimui, o naujos kartos HH170 tikimasi iki 2027 m.

 

Ką mums, Vakarams, daryti, kai kinai artėja prie neribotos branduolių sintezės energijos? Kur konkuruosime? 

HH70 is a tokamak developed by the Chinese fusion energy company Energy Singularity in operation since June 2024. Why is it better than most?

The HH70 tokamak, developed by Energy Singularity and operational since June 2024, is

considered superior for its use of fully High-Temperature Superconducting (HTS) magnets, making it smaller, cheaper, and more efficient than conventional, large-scale reactors. As the world's first fully HTS tokamak, it features a compact design (approx. 2% of conventional volume), utilizes REBCO materials for high-field operations, and achieved a, remarkable 1337-second steady-state plasma current by early 2026, advancing commercial fusion feasibility.

Key advantages that make HH70 stand out include:

 

    Fully High-Temperature Superconducting (HTS) Magnets: Unlike conventional devices (like ITER) that use low-temperature superconductors requiring extreme, complex cooling, HH70's HTS magnet system allows for higher operational temperatures and stronger magnetic fields, according to Wikipedia.

    Compact & Cost-Effective: The use of Rare Earth Barium Copper Oxide (REBCO) allows the reactor to be significantly smaller—only 2% of the volume of conventional tokamaks—which greatly reduces construction costs and time, as explained in Interesting Engineering.

    Advanced Performance & Stability: In February 2026, the device demonstrated its capability by sustaining a stable, long-pulse plasma current for 1,337 seconds, as reported by Xinhua.

    AI Integration: The project utilizes artificial intelligence to optimize the plasma control system, improving stability, according to Xinhua.

    Rapid Development: Energy Singularity built the HH70 in just two years, setting a record for the fastest development of a superconducting tokamak.

 

The HH70 serves as a testbed for developing even more powerful, commercially viable reactors, with the next-generation HH170 expected by 2027.

 

What are we, the West, to do as the Chinese approach unlimited fusion energy? Where will we compete? 

Lithuanian court says father must support adult healthy daughter

 

 

Get married, have children, husband and state will support your family.

 

State Support & Family Policies: Lithuania has a universal child benefit system for children under 18 (or up to 23 if in education). The state also provides one-time child benefits (€814 in 2026), and, for families with three or more children, low-income families, or those with disabled children, additional monthly support.

Marriage and Support: While the state provides benefits, there is no legal obligation for the "state" to support an adult child simply because they are married or have children. However, the state does provide benefits for the children of that adult child.

 

“A girl who emigrated to the United Kingdom with her mother and is currently studying at the University of London has sued her father – the 20-year-old emigrant stated that she incurs almost 1.6 thousand British pounds sterling (GBP) per month in expenses, therefore she demanded that he contribute to her maintenance.

 

“I need the amount per month – 1,593 GBP (1,847 EUR), – the girl studying in the field of Education Studies, Bachelor of Arts, who filed the claim, stated to the court. – This amount includes housing expenses – 250 GBP, food – 110 GBP, hygiene products – 262 GBP, clothing and footwear – 119 GBP, healthcare – 15 GBP, education – 500 GBP, leisure – 73 GBP, fuel and public transport expenses – 164 GBP, holiday expenses – 100 GBP. Maintenance provided by the mother – 920 GBP.”

 

The girl, who emigrated from Lithuania to the United Kingdom almost 10 years ago, said that she is very busy with her studies, striving for the best possible education, and therefore "has neither the obligation nor the free time to work extra and receive any income to support herself."

 

“I have no property or income of my own and I do not work, my mother covers and agrees to cover part of my needs, but this does not mean that she is obliged to provide maintenance for herself and for my father, therefore it is necessary to award at least 600 euros per month in my favor,” the girl indicated in the lawsuit that her parents have been divorced for a long time, therefore they do not have any joint and several obligations. “After becoming an adult, my needs only increased, because I need more money to purchase adult clothes, shoes, eat better, pay for public transport to the university and for lunch during my stay at the university, contribute to housing rent, pay for driving courses, purchase missing furniture for the room I use, update my computer, etc..”

 

Until she reached adulthood, her father allocated 400 euros per month for her daughter’s maintenance, therefore, as the girl noted, he already recognized that living in the United Kingdom required more money for living than in Lithuania.

 

“On the day of filing the claim, the amount of EUR 400 would have already amounted to EUR 573 due to constant annual indexation – which in turn means that my father recognized that such a maintenance amount was necessary, and moreover, when I started studying at a higher education institution in London, it probably did not decrease, but only increased – after I became a full-time student who had to study well and diligently,” the Lithuanian citizen emphasized.

 

Her father does not currently live in Lithuania, he has also emigrated, only not to the United Kingdom, but to Sweden. Here he has his own business – the company founded by his husband operates in the fields of construction, building construction, real estate renovation, craft assistance, kitchen renovation and related activities.

 

"My father lives in a country with a higher income, where he can earn much more than the minimum income in Lithuania," the girl who filed the lawsuit against her father noted that she lives in an apartment rented by her mother, who has been unable to work for a long time due to a serious injury she suffered, receiving only disability benefits from the UK government.

 

She also emphasized that she has not yet found a job and has not looked for a job because she has to study and "is not required by law to find a job."

 

“My legitimate interest is to complete all the assignments, homework and internships received during my studies extremely well, so that this would become a solid foundation for my future career, and if I were to work while studying, my academic results would significantly deteriorate and there would be a risk of failing the entrance exams altogether,” the emigrant told the court. “This would also lead to the loss of my right to maintenance/support, because I would no longer be able to continue my studies, and only an adult child who is doing well in higher education is guaranteed the right to demand support from her parents or one of them.”

 

At that time, the father of the adult daughter, who was brought as a defendant, indicated that he could not give her as much money as she requested – the husband said that he did not have such opportunities and could pay her 200 GBP (232 EUR) per month, because he earns 2.5 thousand EUR per month and has creditor obligations.

 

The court, which examined the dispute between the daughter and the father regarding maintenance, decided to partially satisfy the claim.

 

According to the court, the Civil Code provides that parents, if they have the opportunity, must support their children who have reached the age of majority, who are studying according to the secondary education program or according to the formal vocational training program for acquiring the first qualification or are studying at a higher education institution according to the full-time study program and are not older than 24 years of age and who need material support, taking into account the financial situation of the children who have reached the age of majority, their income, the possibility of earning an income themselves and other important circumstances. However, parents are not obliged to support children who have reached the age of majority and are not pursuing their first higher education or professional qualification.

 

In addition, the court indicated that the law of equality of parental authority is enshrined in the Constitution, which means that the rights and obligations of parents to children are equal, therefore, parents should support their adult child in equal shares, except in cases where one of the parents is in a worse financial situation than the other.

 

The court in this case found that the father has an obligation to provide support to his daughter who has reached the age of majority, and moreover, he himself acknowledged that he had this obligation - he indicated that he agrees to provide support to her.

 

According to the judges, although the girl's father stated that his property and financial situation is difficult due to debts, he did not provide any evidence to support this.

 

The court, speaking on the amount of support to be awarded to a child who has reached the age of majority, indicated that a reasonable and sufficient amount necessary to live and meet his needs is EUR 300.

 

“Although the applicant is a full-time student, which makes it difficult to find employment, this does not mean that she does not have any opportunities to work part-time or remotely after her studies, and she did not prove that she tried to find work (in the evenings or on weekends),” the judges stated.

 

In their assessment, the demands of an adult to cover the costs of leisure or beauty products should be considered unreasonable and unrelated to the obligation to support adult children in school – the adult should take care of meeting such unnecessary needs himself or herself or should refuse them until he or she is able to finance them independently.

 

“The circumstance indicated by the applicant that the mother provides support of GBP 920 per month is not substantiated by the evidence submitted to the case; the applicant did not provide any bank statements, checks or other data that would allow for a decision on the specific actual amount of the needs (i.e., that it is GBP 1,593),” the decision emphasizes.

 

According to the court, when deciding on the issue of maintenance of an adult child, not only the actual income of the adult child must be assessed, but also the use of reasonable opportunities to obtain it. The mere fact that parents have the financial ability to maintain an adult child does not mean that, if this person does not make an effort to provide for the child's needs on their own, the parents have the same obligation to maintain the child as if the child were a minor.

 

“It is common knowledge that it is difficult for a full-time student to combine studies with work. Every young person has a legitimate interest in pursuing education and has the right to focus on studies, not work. Therefore, the goal of pursuing education must be supported, and this duty falls primarily on parents, who must create conditions for a young person to obtain an education,” the judges emphasized. “Although full-time studies make employment opportunities more difficult, this does not mean that the applicant has no opportunities to work part-time or remotely after graduation.”

 

According to the judges, during the hearing of the case, the emigrant did not even prove that she had tried to find work (in the evenings or on weekends), and the case also did not provide data on the intensity and schedule of her studies, which could confirm the lack of opportunities to find work.

 

“The plaintiff also did not substantiate in any way that she does not have the opportunity to find seasonal work during the holidays and thus contribute to meeting her needs,” the panel chaired by Judge Jorūnė Pukinskienė stated.

 

However, the court emphasized that the girl, who requested support from her father, is not obliged to provide detailed evidence to substantiate her needs: “She should not provide detailed evidence of basic needs related to food and clothing, but being of legal age and making a claim to one of her parents for support, she should provide specific evidence to substantiate the costs of transportation, learning aids and the learning process, as well as the fact and amount of other specific needs.”

 

According to the panel of judges, the student indicated in her claim that her mother provides her with monthly support of GBP 920, but this is not substantiated by the evidence submitted to the case.

 

“Without questioning this fact, the plaintiff did not indicate or prove from what sources she receives the remaining 673 GBP per month, if, as the plaintiff herself indicates, the actual expenses she incurs to meet all necessary needs are 1,593 GBP,” the court ruled that the student did not prove that the amount necessary to meet her actual needs is almost 1.6 thousand GBP.

 

According to the panel of judges, the plaintiff who filed the claim “did not exhaust all reasonable opportunities to provide herself with the necessary funds, did not justify the rejection of such opportunities,” therefore, guided by the principles of justice, fairness and reasonableness, it should be decided that her father will have to provide her with 300 EUR in material support every month until 2026. June 12, while she studies. In addition, the father was ordered to pay arrears of 5.4 thousand EUR.”