Dear reader, Here is a theory that will help you understand who you are and where you came from.   Assumption : 1) Space time is an interface, not reality. There is no demarcation on the basis of time or space. We are objects in motion so we believe in time as a demarcation. But these are illusions. Each system for containing consciousness has their own reality. Two realities can have the same representation of information but still be separate. Any system that processes information is conscious.   The question : Where I come from and why can I not access the other consciousness? Why are there limited representations available? do other people have consciousness or are they philosophical zombies? is a computer conscious? etc     The solution : Consciousness switches from one reality to the next. Each individual contains their own reality. Even though realities may interact or be in the same spatial and temporal phrase, they are actually separated in one axis that we cannot represent. Consciousness can only exist in a single reality, however it appears as if everyone has it. Only "I" am conscious. Other agents/systems are not conscious IN MY REALITY. However in their own reality, they are conscious. "I" will experience their reality. Since time or space is not a demarcation, when I experience their reality I will see my system as an agent without consciousness. This may sound like 'reincarnation' in popular religions, but it is not. There is no space time demarcation, so I will not reincarnate, but 'I' can be the cat I fed yesterday, or the friend I talked to many years ago, or donald hoffman. All consciousness needs is a system, and then through some unknown method it becomes that system.   Part 2: Representations - The ultimate representation for humans is a description of reality, like a video game interface.  Any description other than the one we have is inaccessible to us. But what is this description? I think it’s a simulation (based on current technologies). And since any simulation requires an external system to process it (a video game needs a human to play it), this one does too. So what is an external agent here? I don't know what it is, but I think the word we can use to name it is 'consciousness'.   What this means for human race: If this is true, then humans should act a lot more kinder to each other. Because they are not separate individuals, but one consciousness. They all appear to exist at the same "time" (time and space are illusions), but there is just one consciousness which is going through them. The system that is the universe is geared with the purpose of making system that can retain this consciousness. In other words, the universe is a vessel for consciousness. (This theory is still not fully fleshed out, and might never be. As of now, i do not intend to bring it anywhere near a scientific audience because there is not much empirical proof of any of this except for maybe the visual interface theory. ) Some material to explore : http://www.cogsci.uci.edu/~ddhoff/