Communalness, as suggested by Robert A. Freitas Jr., is a level of an emergent phenomenon which originates from electronic sentience, and represents a broader mode of thinking than just normal consciousness. While consciousness is limited to the individual, communalness describes a complex organization of numerous individuals which on a higher level is tightly connected to each other. Such an organization would maybe have the same intimate awareness of its own existence as a whole as people have consciousness of their own bodies.
See also Collective consciousness Collective identity Collective intelligence Collective memory Group mind (science fiction) Hormonal sentience Neurohacking
External links Xenopsychology by Robert A. Freitas Jr.