The existence of minds may have measurable consequences in the universe.
Instead of focusing on what a mind is, focus on what it does and its causal effects.
Consciousness might not be measurable in individual minds, but potentially as a property of societies over time.
This approach shifts from subjective experience to exploring if some things exist solely due to minds.
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Sara Walker discusses the importance of viewing life and consciousness through the lens of assembly theory, arguing that our understanding of alien life, the origin of life, and consciousness itself could be fundamentally expanded by examining the combinatorial possibilities within chemical and informational spaces on Earth, rather than searching outer space. This presentation was recorded at MindFest, held at Florida Atlantic University, CENTER FOR THE FUTURE MIND, spearheaded by Susan Schneider.