ABSTRACT
This essay presents a summary of the Vedic theory of consciousness in juxtaposition with the parallel ideas of quantum mechanics and neuroscience. The ancient Vedic tradition of philosophy of consciousness that goes back to at least 2000 BC posits that analytical approaches to defining awareness or personhood end up in paradox. In this tradition one views awareness in terms of the reflection that the hardware of the brain provides to an underlying illuminating or awareness principle called the self. This tradition allows one to separate questions of the tools of awareness, such as vision and hearing and the mind, from the person who obtains this awareness. This tradition is reviewed regarding the question of the definition of personhood in animals and machines.
