What makes unconscious atomic molecules come together to produce consciousness? How does consciousness emerge from nothingness?
Does my question contain an assumption: that atomic molecules are unconscious? If we make this assumption, then we would fall into the trap of the theory of divine creation, wouldn't we? The emergence of consciousness from nothingness must be bestowed by something, which can be called God. Some people say that you can explain it with the theory of evolution, but in reality, evolution is just a combination of arrangements. Unconscious atomic molecules gain consciousness through certain arrangements, which brings us back to my original question. The theory of evolution is just a transformation of this question.
If we deny this assumption - that atomic molecules are unconscious - then we have to acknowledge that consciousness/soul is inherent in all things in the world, but we just can't see it. There is no process of emergence from nothingness. This is similar to the concept of pantheism.
To summarize, if material substances such as atomic molecules are devoid of consciousness, it inevitably leads to the theory of divine creation. On the other hand, if we deny this, it leads to the theory of pantheism.
Now we can draw the conclusion: in any case, God exists, either independently of all things in the world (the theory of divine creation), or it manifests itself in (permeates) all things in the world (the theory of pantheism), or it could be a combination of both.
I would like to add that in my understanding, God is not equivalent to the concept of God in a religious sense. If God exists, it would only be a personified God. God may not necessarily be personified or have a human-like form. The above speculation may prove the existence of God, but it still falls short of proving the existence of a religious God.
Update:
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Later, I learned about Aristotle's famous proposition "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." According to online sources, it is the most valuable legacy of ancient holistic concepts and the fundamental principle of modern systems theory. Aristotle more precisely expressed the relationship between the whole and its parts as "the whole is not equal to the sum of its parts." The whole is composed of its parts, but it does not necessarily equal the sum of its parts. The whole can be greater or smaller than the sum of its parts. Can this theory be used to explain my initial question? Can it cover the vast gap between matter and consciousness and bridge it?
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In fact, the entire speculative process above is severely detached from reality. In the process of consciousness emerging from nothingness, it is not just a matter of the arrangement of atomic molecules, but also involves the absorption and release of energy - that is, the exchange of energy with the surrounding environment. As for whether there are other things (including those that cannot be detected by current human technology) entering and exiting this system composed of atomic molecules and energy, it is unknown. (2023.04.22)