Name: Don't take consciousness for granted
Uploaded: 2011-07-07T00:00:00Z
Duration: 22 min
Description: After a catastrophic car accident that left him in a coma, Simon Lewis found ways to recover -- physically and mentally -- beyond all expectations. At the INK Conference he tells how this remarkable story led him to concern over all threats to consciousness, and how to overcome them.

Simon Lewis: Don't take consciousness for granted

Don't take consciousness for granted

After a catastrophic car accident that left him in a coma, Simon Lewis found ways to recover -- physically and mentally -- beyond all expectations. At the INK Conference he tells how this remarkable story led him to concern over all threats to consciousness, and how to overcome them.

Consciousness can be lost in an instant, as shown by a devastating accident that left one man in a coma with his skull and most bones crushed, yet still alive. After receiving 45 units of blood and spending over a month in the deepest coma state, his journey back highlighted both the brain's vulnerability and its ability to adapt. Today, threats like head injury, depression, and digital overload are eroding consciousness at alarming rates. Society must value and protect this resource, using science and care to bridge the gap between potential and actual mind.