--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe consciousness is brazenly…" description: "\"I believe consciousness is brazenly physical, a raucous mirage the brain creates to help us survive.\" — Diane Ackerman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/871/diane-ackerman-1035_believe_i-believe-consciousness-is-brazenly-phys_2243926.png" --- # I believe consciousness is brazenly physical, a raucous… ![“I believe consciousness is brazenly physical, a raucous mirage the brain creates to help us survive.” quote by Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/871/diane-ackerman-1035_believe_i-believe-consciousness-is-brazenly-phys_2243926.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/871/diane-ackerman-1035_believe_i-believe-consciousness-is-brazenly-phys_2243926.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/871/diane-ackerman-1035_believe_i-believe-consciousness-is-brazenly-phys_2243926.png) > “I believe consciousness is brazenly physical, a raucous mirage the brain creates to help us survive.” [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Consciousness is portrayed as a physical, brain‑generated illusion that aids survival. **In simple terms:** Mind is a survival illusion. Key Takeaway Question the nature of mind. Themes philosophy neuroscience consciousness illusion survival Mood analytical curious Type philosophical scientific When to use this quote - psychology research - meditation - AI development - education - healthcare Key Concepts physicalism cognitive science Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports consciousness as physical? - How does this view affect self‑identity? A Different Perspective May overlook non‑physical aspects of experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-consciousness-858954/) [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Brain Creates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain-creates-2797836/) [Brazenly Physical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brazenly-physical-5098187/) [Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciousness/) [Consciousness Brazenly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciousness-brazenly-5016715/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [I believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe/) [Mirage Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirage-brain-5098188/) [Mirages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirages/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) ## Related quotes > [“I believe consciousness is brazenly physical, a raucous mirage the brain creates to help us survive. But I also sense the universe is magical,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/i-believe-consciousness-is-brazenly-physical-a-raucous-mirage-the/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [I don't believe consciousness is generated in the brain any more than television programs are made inside my TV. The box is too small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/i-don-t-believe-consciousness-is-generated-in-the-brain-any-more-than/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [“I believe that consciousness is, essentially, the way information feels when being processed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brockman/i-believe-that-consciousness-is-essentially-the-way-information-feels/) [John Brockman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brockman/) > [I believe that consciousness is the way information feels when being processed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-tegmark/i-believe-that-consciousness-is-the-way-information-feels-when-being/) [Max Tegmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-tegmark/) > [I believe consciousness is non-local and a big part of what we experience with near death and past lives. It's the consciousness that has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/i-believe-consciousness-is-non-local-and-a-big-part-of-what-we/) [Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/) > [I don't believe that consciousness is generated by the brain. I believe that the brain is more of a reciever of consciousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-hancock/i-don-t-believe-that-consciousness-is-generated-by-the-brain-i/) [Graham Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-hancock/) > [“Well, for each of us the brain creates a whole, unique universe. It contains everything we know. Everything we see or touch. Everything we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-extence/well-for-each-of-us-the-brain-creates-a-whole-unique-universe-it/) [Gavin Extence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-extence/) > [What is it about animation, graphics, illustrations, that create meaning? And this is an important question to ask and answer because the more we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wujec/what-is-it-about-animation-graphics-illustrations-that-create-meaning/) [Tom Wujec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wujec/) > [Ideas are intangible forces, but they have more power than the physical brains that give birth to them. They have the power to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/ideas-are-intangible-forces-but-they-have-more-power-than-the/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“for each of us the brain creates a whole, unique universe. It contains everything we know. Everything we see or touch. Everything we feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-extence/for-each-of-us-the-brain-creates-a-whole-unique-universe-it-contains/) [Gavin Extence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-extence/) > [“brain creates a whole, unique universe. It contains everything we know. Everything we see or touch. Everything we feel and remember. In a sense,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-extence/brain-creates-a-whole-unique-universe-it-contains-everything-we-know/) [Gavin Extence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-extence/) > [“Memories of a pleasurable event are stored in the cerebral cortex so we won’t forget them. It may sound strange, but in a way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meik-wiking/memories-of-a-pleasurable-event-are-stored-in-the-cerebral-cortex-so/) [Meik Wiking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meik-wiking/) > [“The brain creates both the mind and the body we experience. A physical thing creates the mental world we inhabit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-m-hood/the-brain-creates-both-the-mind-and-the-body-we-experience-a-physical/) [Bruce M. Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-m-hood/) > [“In addition, we still do not really know how the brain creates emotions. We do not know why some people are more prone to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/in-addition-we-still-do-not-really-know-how-the-brain-creates/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [The world is a wonderfully weird place, consensual reality is significantly flawed, no institution can be trusted, certainty is a mirage, security a delusion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-world-is-a-wonderfully-weird-place-consensual-reality-is/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) ## More by Diane Ackerman > [A self is a frightening thing to waste, it's the lens through which one's whole life is viewed, and few people are willing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/a-self-is-a-frightening-thing-to-waste-it-s-the-lens-through-which/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [“Our lives together, our duet, also continues to evolve, and even if we can’t go back to how it was, we’re designing a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/our-lives-together-our-duet-also-continues-to-evolve-and-even-if-we/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [Hit a tripwire of smell and memories explode all at once. A complex vision leaps out of the undergrowth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/hit-a-tripwire-of-smell-and-memories-explode-all-at-once-a-complex/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [Horses have made civilization possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/horses-have-made-civilization-possible/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [Look at your feet. You are standing in the sky. When we think of the sky, we tend to look up, but the sky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/look-at-your-feet-you-are-standing-in-the-sky-when-we-think-of-the/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [Who would deduce the dragonfly from the larva, the iris from the bud, the lawyer from the infant? ...We are all shape-shifters and magical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/who-would-deduce-the-dragonfly-from-the-larva-the-iris-from-the-bud/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [Though we marry as adults, we don't marry adults. We marry children who have grown up and still rejoice in being children, especially if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/though-we-marry-as-adults-we-don-t-marry-adults-we-marry-children-who/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [Libraries change lives. They are the soul of a people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/libraries-change-lives-they-are-the-soul-of-a-people/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [“The etymology of the Hebrew word for prophet, navi, combines three processes: navach (to cry out), nava (to gush or flow), and navuv (to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/the-etymology-of-the-hebrew-word-for-prophet-navi-combines-three/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [Knee-deep in the cosmic overwhelm, I’m stricken by the ricochet wonder of it all: the plain everythingness of everything, in cahoots with the everythingness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/knee-deep-in-the-cosmic-overwhelm-i-m-stricken-by-the-ricochet-wonder/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [ Symbolic of life, hair bolts from our head\[s\]. Like the earth, it can be harvested, but it will rise again. We can change its… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/symbolic-of-life-hair-bolts-from-our-head-s-like-the-earth-it-can-be/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [“Most people know that 30 to 40 percent of the world's Jews were killed during World War II, but not that 80 to 90…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/most-people-know-that-30-to-40-percent-of-the-world-s-jews-were/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [Choice is a signature of our species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/choice-is-a-signature-of-our-species/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [The further we distance ourselves from the spell of the present, explored by our senses, the harder it will be to understand and protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/the-further-we-distance-ourselves-from-the-spell-of-the-present/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [Culture is what people invent when they have lost nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/culture-is-what-people-invent-when-they-have-lost-nature/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) [Explore all 304 Diane Ackerman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I believe consciousness is brazenly physical, a raucous mirage the brain creates to help us survive.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Diane Ackerman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/i-believe-consciousness-is-brazenly-physical-a-raucous-mirage-the-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/i-believe-consciousness-is-brazenly-physical-a-raucous-mirage-the-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/871/diane-ackerman-1035_believe_i-believe-consciousness-is-brazenly-phys_2243926.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/871/diane-ackerman-1035_believe_i-believe-consciousness-is-brazenly-phys_2243926.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/871/diane-ackerman-1035_believe_i-believe-consciousness-is-brazenly-phys_2243926.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I believe consciousness is brazenly physical, a raucous mirage the brain creates to help us survive.” — Diane Ackerman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Diane Ackerman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I believe consciousness is brazenly physical,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/i-believe-consciousness-is-brazenly-physical-a-raucous-mirage-the-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/i-believe-consciousness-is-brazenly-physical-a-raucous-mirage-the-2/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```