The Fifth Science

rankled:

He woke every morning at 6, showered, masturbated occasionally (though with enormous guilt),

If he follows truth then it will be a lonely journey, but potentially

into a cycle that occurred so quickly neither could be separated from the other.

A formalist as he described it, believing that a mind is a pattern of information rather than a solid thing enclosed within the brain.

self-consciousness was the product of a positive feedback loop between perception and reflection, the two eventually amplifying each other

“We believe consciousness is a force alongside the others in nature, that it is baked into the universe rather than an emergent property. Not only does that mean it could exist on platforms other than brains and electronics, but it goes some way towards explaining what you and I are.”

This wasn't consciousness, but it was a start. Matter could think without brains or electronics or molecular switches. It might even be a fundamental property of matter itself.

In all things, across all avenues, a choice must be made: whether to follow love, truth, or power. That choice will consume the chooser. If he follows only love then his wellbeing will be constantly at the mercy of another, though his highs will be sublime.