In every example we have of consciousness, it is dependent on the existence of a material brain. So, to my best of my, or anyone else's, knowledge at the present time, yes, matter creates consciousness. The only caveat that I can think of to this statement is the possibility that brains and consciousness evolved in a symbiotic relationship so that it's virtually impossible to delineate the emergence of one from the other, but even that fails, I think, in light of the fact that it's very clear that matter existed before consciousness (life) existed, so I still say yes, matter gives rise to consciousness.
Teenaged X-Files obsession + Bermuda Triangle episode + Self-led school research project = Atheist.
