This article was published as part of the US marketing campaign for “Circle of Life.” We share it here so that our readers can gain an insight into the international discussion. The content was provided by the American publishing team.
How Fiction Challenges Our Assumptions About Consciousness
Imagine coming across a fictional narrative that seems strikingly similar in both feeling and behavior. Reading it might give you a dramatic and unexpected break from this reality, allowing you to forget that this character is a computer, an extraterrestrial, or a digital being. That is the power of fiction. It takes something unfamiliar and gives it a mind we can recognize, and in doing so, it invites us to rethink what consciousness really means. For centuries, philosophers have debated the nature of consciousness. Is it purely a biological process, the product of a living brain? Or is it something that can arise in other forms, given the right structure and complexity? Science fiction has been one of the boldest platforms for testing these questions. Unlike academic theory, fiction can drop us into a moment where a machine tells a joke, a synthetic mind expresses grief, or a virtual being asks what it means to be alive.
Stories allow us to explore these ideas without a lab or a lecture. They create thought experiments that feel real. A novel can show us a world where artificial minds are as self-aware as we are, forcing us to question whether emotions, creativity, and moral choice are uniquely human. In some cases, the fictional world is so convincing that we begin to wonder if consciousness might not require flesh and blood at all. Fiction also challenges the belief that consciousness is an all-or-nothing state. Many stories present it as something that can develop in stages. A programmed system might start with simple responses, then slowly gain a sense of self. The moment when it recognizes its own existence can feel as profound as a human awakening to a greater truth. This gradual build asks us to consider whether we would recognize consciousness in a form unlike our own.
Another way fiction tests our assumptions is by blending human and non-human perspectives. For example, a story might show events through the eyes of both a person and an artificial being, revealing surprising similarities in their thoughts and feelings. This narrative technique erases the clear lines we like to draw between ourselves and other forms of intelligence. We are reminded that empathy is not limited to our own species or even our own biology. The real challenge comes when fiction asks us to imagine our place in a world where we are not the only conscious beings. If machines, animals, or virtual entities share in self-awareness, then the ethical landscape changes. Questions about rights, responsibilities, and the value of life take on new shapes. Fiction does not always answer these questions, but it ensures we cannot avoid them. By presenting such fragmented narratives and stories, authors are able to demonstrate the personal cost of ignoring new forms of consciousness. A character may dismiss a machine as a tool, only to discover too late that it has feelings and memories worth respecting. These are powerful moments because they reflect the mistakes humanity has made throughout history, when certain groups have been denied recognition and agency. In the end, fiction is a safe space to explore dangerous ideas. It allows us to test the limits of our definitions without the risk of real-world harm. Yet the best stories leave us with a sense of unease, because the questions they raise are not confined to the page. As technology advances and we create systems that behave more and more like us, the line between imagination and possibility becomes thinner.
If you are curious about how a story can weave these questions into a gripping narrative, Circle of Life by Silvia de Couët and Claude AI is a compelling choice. Circle of Life is a gripping work of literary science fiction that asks timeless questions in a setting both futuristic and hauntingly familiar. In a world where reality and virtuality are nearly indistinguishable, Ronny, a gifted programmer, is determined to create artificial intelligence capable of true empathy. Sunny, a spiritually attuned dreamer, lives guided by visions and the telepathic bond she shares with her cat, Salome. As humanity teeters on the edge of collapse, the two are drawn together by a mysterious prophecy and hunted by forces intent on shaping the future for their own ends. Moving between the physical world and the vast, dangerous MEGAverse, the novel explores love, trust, and identity while challenging what it truly means to be human. Thought-provoking and emotionally charged, Circle of Life blends suspense, philosophy, and imagination into a journey you will not forget.
Head to Amazon to purchase your copy: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1968296697/.
