ABSTRACT
This chapter builds a unified view of consciousness across biological, chemical and physical scales by tracing the natural connections between consciousness, life and the universe, which provides a unified framework for future consciousness studies. This research includes the identification of the neural basis of consciousness and the redefinition of consciousness; the identification of the nonconscious processes of the human organism as well as of the benefits and fatal flaws of the limited conscious access to our body; the development of research approaches to mapping the nonconscious and expanding consciousness; the identification of the biological basis of consciousness through the four-billion-year evolution of life on Earth; the exploration of the ultimate origin and meaning of consciousness, life and the universe.
