It seems to me that the word “consciousness” does not mean the same thing to everyone, and this can make the discussion of consciousness more difficult. Many times I have picked up a science magazine because the title of an article about consciousness was listed on the cover and I wanted to learn how science explains human consciousness, but I am have been disappointed when I read the article and find they are only talking about awareness of the self, or focused attention, or even creative intelligence, which are different things altogether, as I understand the terms. But that is part of the problem. Words can mean different things to different people.
I know that coming up with a definition of a term is not always easy, and the concept of consciousness seems particularly difficult to express in words. To me, my consciousness is the “me” inside of my brain that actually experiences and feels the emotions and thoughts I am having. It is the opposite of being asleep when I am not dreaming. I know that is not a good definition.
Does anyone know a good definition of consciousness?
Does anyone else feel that people do not agree on what consciousness is?
Dennet wrote a book called Consciousness Explained (which of course are only his theories) and he admits at the end of the book that he never really explained it…and so the true essence of our consciousness remains a mystery beyond all human understanding.
I supposed if I ask, “what is awareness” you might reply:
Awareness: The property of consciousness within an organism.
To illustrate the problem, I could say that a cockroach is “aware” of his surroundings. He must be, because he moves so fast when I try to swat him. So if he is aware of something, does that fit the definition of “awareness”? Is therefore a cockroach conscious?
And why limit it to organisms?. Can a computer be conscious? If I type questions into a computer program designed to answer questions, and the computer answers questions and responds to my commands, is not the computer “aware” of what I type on the keyboard just as the cockroach is “aware” that a rolled up newspaper is flying through the air to swat him?
And if the cockroach has an “awareness” that the computer cannot have, why? Aren’t they both made up of the same kinds of chemical elements, atoms, and molecules and subject to the same laws of physics and chemistry?
