Consciousness

I suppose in starting off, I really ought to try and define consciousness. The easiest way comes from my dictionary:

1 : the quality or state of being aware especially of something within
2: the state of being characterized by sensation, emotion, volition, and thought : mind
3: the totality of conscious states of an individual
4: the normal state of conscious life
5: the upper level of mental life of which the person is aware as contrasted with unconscious processes

This gives a reasonable starting point, particularly the second definition. Sensation, emotion, volition and thought. Can animals be considered conscious; perhaps they can’t be considered to think. Emotion would tend to leave out computers as we know them know, but artificial intelligence is in it’s infancy, perhaps this will emerge as models progress. John Locke defined it as “the perception of what passes in a man’s own mind.” This captures the self-awareness and thoughtfulness that likely excludes animals.

The self-aware portion goes away while asleep, leaving us temporarily unconscious. Being conscious of our thoughts and surroundings is considered to be so vital, that if our brain is deemed to permanently have lost that ability, it is ok to extinguish someone’s life. This elusive consciousness is the most valuable piece of life. This must be why we have made it a divine spark from the gods. It is completely unique and separates Human’s from the rest of animals.