What is consciousness?

First of all, I know this is a question that the brightest minds throughout history have asked without arriving at a satisfactory definition. Thus, I am presenting my view on the subject and subsequently I am interested in the view of others here on this forum. If someone has questions on my view, I am glad to elaborate, however, I will not enter an argument on who is more in the right. I asked for your views, so lets have them.

In my view, consciousness is the totality of your perception however subtle it may be, both internal and external to you. It does not solely relate to the knowledge you can derive from whatever is perceived at the moment, that is the domain of mind as one of your senses, but rather encompasses the intuitive perceptions as provided by all your senses that mind or language cannot necessarily wrap itself around, the connecting links that stitch our perceived reality together. Consciousness includes 'knowledge' of the backdrop as well as specifics, in other words, you cannot separate an object from its background as everything is interdependent. Consciousness is the total influx of your being. That influx is maximized when you fall silent and do not judge what emerges, you just observe.

Consciousness thus has nothing to do with labels and properties that you mind can assign to obtained knowledge of the observed. For the 'unconscious' person a presented rose will be a rose and nothing more. Quickly classified, labeled and locked in a box, a rose is a rose is a rose. For the conscious person the rose is always a whiff of new air, the rose presented is never just a rose. It can be enjoyed in its totality without classification. In the first case, there was recognition, quick compartmentalization and end of experience, in the second, constant influx and new experience. You are there for the experience in the totality of your being instead of the totality of your minding. This is what I think is the core teaching of the flower sermon in Buddhism when Mahakasyapa suddenly laughed at seeing Buddha holding a lotus flower in his palm.

a reply to: TatTvamAsi

Based on what I know so far,

Consciousness is awareness. Consciousness allows identification. When you say "I AM..." that's Consciousness. When you say "I AM this" or "I AM that", that's identification.

This is the difference between Consciousness/Awareness/Being and Identification/Roles.

I am 61 and have never earlier on had the desire to think about what is consciousness . I guess I took it for granit that nobody could really give a good explanation to it's meaning .Something that is so evident to all could at the same time be so elusive .It would seem to me now after looking into some of the questions and answers that it must be part of the strange world of Quanta . How it works and where it is ,is what some scientist are trying to define .

It could be that at the end of the day we were created in the image of God and we will only be able to define it when we can define God .Or prove there is a God , Until then we may be left with the faith alone that yes we do exist and are a self conscious being .

In my opinion, simply put, consciousness is the physical manifestation of God, one entity with many parts.

Greetings,

I have tried a few times to write out my thoughts on consciousness and have failed. You may therefore be interested in this video of Terrence Mc Kenna whom says it much better than my self.



Spiro

The most complete explanation of Consciousness I have read comes from a book I cherish titled 'Thinking and Destiny' by Harold Waldwin Percival.

CONSCIOUSNESS: is the Presence in all things-by which each thing is conscious in the degree in which it is conscious as what or ofwhat it is or does. As a word it is the adjective "conscious" develpoed into a noun by the suffix "ness." It is a word unique in language; it has no synonyms, and its meaning extends beyond human comprehension. Consciousness is beginningless, and endless; it is indivisible, without parts, qualities, states, attributes or limitations. Yet, everything, from the least to the greatest, in and beyond time and space is dependent on it, to be and to do. Its presence in every unit of nature and beyond nature enables all things and beings to be conscious as what or of what they are, and are to do, to be aware and conscious of all other things and beings, and to progress in continuing higher degrees of being conscious towards the only one ultimate Reality -------- Consciousness.

a reply to: TatTvamAsi

Consciousness is somewhat foolhardy insofar as it can look at itself in the mirror but imagines it is anything other than what it sees.

a reply to: triune

Thanks for the reading tip. Never heard of him.

Interesting that he considers every part of existence to have consciousness and thus we can also be conscious of other aspects of reality whether animate or inanimate. This would align well with quantum theory and the old mystics of bygone eras that claim even rocks speak. Well, this is basically how I understand it as well when I talk about influx, influx is a radiant flow from your sphere of existence that enables perception of something.

a reply to: TatTvamAsi

I don't know the answer and I've yet to see a description that satisfies or makes any kind of sense.

We all 'know' what it is because we're experiencing it, but it's too close to home to define precisely.

Scientists really need to get busy on consciousness if they ever hope to create thinking, feeling entities; at the moment, they seem to think it's just a question of building faster, more complex computers till one of them spontaneously starts to think for itself.

Consciousness is a process of the brain, an entirely biological aspect present in many creatures. It was developed through evolution via natural selection as it aids survival and procreation.

It's an amazing property don't get me wrong, I just don't get why people find it so spooky and supernatural.

originally posted by: TatTvamAsi
a reply to: triune

Thanks for the reading tip. Never heard of him.

Interesting that he considers every part of existence to have consciousness and thus we can also be conscious of other aspects of reality whether animate or inanimate. This would align well with quantum theory and the old mystics of bygone eras that claim even rocks speak. Well, this is basically how I understand it as well when I talk about influx, influx is a radiant flow from your sphere of existence that enables perception of something.

Yes, what it boils down too is Consciousness is the ONLY reality. Everything else is merely illusion.

Consciousness is not something we have. It is what we are. Except, at our present level of advancement (human), the conscious 'LIGHT' available to us is dimmed, cloudy, which allows us to detect only certain illusions we perceive as reality.

a reply to: TatTvamAsi

Text I will not enter an argument on who is more in the right. I asked for your views, so lets have them.

My first note is that you are correct as you do not want an argument. Arguments really do not accomplish much except anger.

My understanding of consciousness is based upon my theological understanding of existence. I do not believe that consciousness exists in a physical environment. Consciousness is the spirit of existence of the physical entity. It is separate from the physicality in that the terrestrial entity is the receptor of the spirit. In other words the terrestrial body consists of receptors while the spirit of consciousness is the motor or directive to those receptors. The body can exist or function in the physical aspect without consciousness because the receptors may be damaged but the body can only function for a limited time.

I base my belief (theology) on the Genesis account which tells me that Adam was first nothing but a physical unconscious entity. His terrestrial body may have functioned but he had no spirit of life (consciousness). As the spirit of consciousness was instilled in the terrestrial body Adam then became a living soul. That spirit of consciousness is a separate function than the body in that it is the spirit that directs the body. The body is a servant of the spirit .

AS the terrestrial body ceases to function in its physicality that means that its receptors have been damaged and it will decompose back into its original sources. But that does not mean that the spirit of consciousness has deteriorated because it is not of the same substance as the terrestrial body. This is why the spirit of consciousness is judged to be worthy of everlasting life. The terrestrial body will decompose back into the terrestrial elements and will never again exist as it had existed.

As you can then see, I believe consciousness is the everlasting life which we call the spirit of existence. When you lose control of your body your receptors of the body have been damaged, You may call this a disease or accident that damaged your body but it is that damage which prevents the spirit of consciousness from operating in the manner that it wants to operate. Eventually the body with all receptors will age and deteriorate. That is called death.

a reply to: Seede

Somehow this reminds me of the old Hindu Atman vs. Brahman thingy except that you call it everlasting life. We are vessels for the unchanging divine to manifest through us. However, it is up to the individual if he lets that divine light shine through or not. Thanks for your thoughts on the subject.