Panpsychism is a philosophical  view asserting that consciousness,  

or some form of it, is a fundamental  and ubiquitous feature of the universe.

Instead of seeing consciousness as  exclusive to humans or certain animals,  

panpsychism proposes that all matter, from  the smallest particles to the largest cosmic  

structures, has some elementary form  of experience or subjective quality.

This perspective contrasts  with traditional materialism,  

which posits consciousness as emerging from  complex arrangements of unconscious matter.

Proponents argue that panpsychism offers a  solution to the "hard problem of consciousness”,  

explaining how subjective experience  arises from physical processes.

Critics, however, question how  individual conscious entities  

might combine to form more complex consciousness.

The theory, while ancient in origin,  has seen a resurgence in modern times  

due to persistent challenges in  explaining subjective experience.