Survival Instincts
Here’s a little foray into evolutionary biology…
In a radio interview I heard recently, Julian Paul Keenan, the author of “The Face in the Mirror: The Search for the Origins of Consciousness” says that the main benefit of self-awareness from an evolutionary standpoint is deception. Having self-awareness allows you to deceive others. A secondary benefit is empathy but deception helps you get ahead a heck of a lot better than empathy does.
Think about that one for a while. The implications are sure to intrigue, disgust and stimulate you.