Mohd Umran

The origin of consciousness remains one of the most fundamental unresolved questions in science. While contemporary theories have significantly advanced our understanding of the neural correlates of conscious experience, they primarily focus on the mature brain and offer limited insight into how consciousness first emerges during human development. This talk introduces the Hidden Human Theory, a developmental framework that proposes consciousness should be investigated as a process that begins with fertilization and unfolds throughout embryonic development rather than as a phenomenon that appears only after the brain reaches functional maturity. The framework distinguishes between the biological processes that construct the human organism and a proposed information-organizing principle that gives rise to conscious observation and the sense of self. Within this model, Carnal Energy is introduced as a theoretical construct representing the integrated biological organization underlying instinctive behaviour, reproduction, self-preservation, and the development of embodied cognition. Rather than viewing these processes as the source of consciousness itself, the theory proposes that they provide the biological foundation upon which conscious awareness emerges through the progressive organization of the developing central nervous system. A central focus of this framework is the formation of the neural tube, the embryonic structure that develops into the brain and spinal cord. The Hidden Human Theory proposes that this developmental stage may play a more fundamental role in the emergence of conscious awareness than is currently recognized and therefore deserves greater attention within consciousness research. This talk does not present metaphysical concepts as empirical conclusions. Instead, it proposes a set of experimentally testable hypotheses that connect embryology, developmental neuroscience, genetics, and cognitive science. By reframing consciousness as a developmental phenomenon and identifying specific stages of human development for scientific investigation, the Hidden Human Theory aims to stimulate interdisciplinary dialogue and inspire new experimental approaches to one of science’s greatest challenges: understanding how conscious experience and the sense of self emerge.