University of Edinburgh professor Igor Rudan argues consciousness emerged because it let humans model possible futures before acting, giving ancestors a survival edge over competing species.
Rudan’s hypothesis goes further by suggesting consciousness may be so fundamental that human experience of space and time arose from it rather than the reverse.
The report says the theory also treats consciousness as a spectrum across animals and links moral judgment to evaluating risks, rewards and emotional outcomes.
It places Rudan’s work within a wider debate in neuroscience, AI and consciousness studies over whether human identity, morality and meaning can be explained without a Creator.
The article also ties that trend to some UAP disclosure circles, where expanded consciousness is increasingly presented as key to understanding alleged non-human intelligences.