What is consciousness?

[Meliai]

What IS it, really?

I ponder this a lot and have no real answer. What do you all think?

[Audiogen]

The emergent phenomenon of an organism's nervous system which elicits a feedback loop of awareness and comprehension of the environment.

[neonspectraltoast]

It's as irreducible as only that which had any hope of creating it: the universe entire.

It's essentially mysterious, as a system cannot measure itself. There is no true, simple answer, though; we just don't know.

Some suggest it's "just the brain" (without any explanation as to how, except to say, "That's just what neurons do.")

Others suggest it's a field that is transduced by the brain.

I think there are too many variables at play to say one way or the other. And even if a brain could, alone, without any external input, produce consciousness, that still wouldn't explain the actual characteristics of consciousness. Just like finding a Boeing factory wouldn't encapsulate the existence of a jet landing in Dubai.

[neonspectraltoast]

Bearing in mind that electricity and "meat" (as they call it) are two distinct forms of energy.

[Pete's Draggun]

What IS it, really?

The brain telling what the body will do or say in any given moment awake or asleep.

It's an everyday smorgasbord of Alpha mentality.

Accountability
Adaptability
Alliances
Authenticity
Autonomy

Belonging

Collaboration
Compassion
Confidence
Contribution
Courage
Creativity

Empthay

Family
Financial stability
Forgiveness
Freedom
Friendship

Harmony
Health
Honesty
Humility

Integrity
Internal Alignment
Intuition

Meaning
Mentoring

Nutrition

Partnering
Personal Growth
Physical Fitness
Positive self-esteem
Positive self-image

Recognition

Safety
Security
Survival

Trust


If all of these action values and awareness are completed in a day, you've reached total consciousness for that day.

Next day (repeat)

[Din Djarin]

The emergent phenomenon of an organism's nervous system which elicits a feedback loop of awareness and comprehension of the environment.

I do not disagree with this when looking at it from our own direct observations, but if I define it as objectively as possible and taking in the possibility of a God and/or an afterlife/other dimensions or planes of existence I would say consciousness entails an awareness of some kind or some form of thought. It would make sense to say both are essential for something to be called conscious but since a kind of consciousness that is not from or restricted by our physical universe is likely very different than ours, I am considering it could be either of the two.
Perhaps (what we call) God/the Universe is not consciously aware of Its attempt to experience itself in some way, or it is but does not has conscious thoughts or actions in order to get there. Perhaps It just attempts to instictively like a plant, or it has thought sthat influence our universe but they could be subconscious thoughts to the point calling (what we call) God conscious would be a stretch. Yes, all speculation.

[Audiogen]

The emergent phenomenon of an organism's nervous system which elicits a feedback loop of awareness and comprehension of the environment.

I do not disagree with this when looking at it from our own direct observations, but if I define it as objectively as possible and taking in the possibility of a God and/or an afterlife/other dimensions or planes of existence I would say consciousness entails an awareness of some kind or some form of thought. It would make sense to say both are essential for something to be called conscious but since a kind of consciousness that is not from or restricted by our physical universe is likely very different than ours, I am considering it could be either of the two.
Perhaps (what we call) God/the Universe is not consciously aware of Its attempt to experience itself in some way, or it is but does not has conscious thoughts or actions in order to get there. Perhaps It just attempts to instictively like a plant, or it has thought sthat influence our universe but they could be subconscious thoughts to the point calling (what we call) God conscious would be a stretch. Yes, all speculation.

Is that or supposed to be an and?

I intended my assertion to be as objective as possible. "Taking in the possibility..." veers off in a much more subjective direction. But maybe you're elaborating rather than contrasting.

[Din Djarin]

Is that or supposed to be an and?

No, but a , would perhaps make it read better :P

I intended my assertion to be as objective as possible. "Taking in the possibility..." veers off in a much more subjective direction.

I understand and can agree, but since the OP question was partially raised by our convo about the possible consciousness of the Universe or (what we call) God I felt like including that in my hypothetising

[Audiogen]

Understood

[neonspectraltoast]

The thing is, we exist both inside and are aware of ourselves outside of our heads. And there's no way there is a direct physical line between our self-interpretations and our self.