Define consciousness

@fmf said
Speculating about "forever and ever" and "life everlasting" and "something beyond our finite and temporal existence" is merely one of the countless things our consciousness enable us to be aware of or think about.

Yes, but why do we have consciousness? Why are we not as the animals with only the capacity to act on instinct? Why do we have the capacity of consciousness?

Is it because of the size and the development of our brains? Is consciousness a component of the evolutionary process, where we gradually became "aware" of our existence in relationship to our environment, that consciousness is a development by measure according to the level of evolution an individual has arrived at?

Too many questions with too few answers.

@secondson said
Yes, but why do we have consciousness? Why are we not as the animals with only the capacity to act on instinct? Why do we have the capacity of consciousness?

Because of our brain functions.

@secondson said
Is it because of the size and the development of our brains? Is consciousness a component of the evolutionary process, where we gradually became "aware" of our existence in relationship to our environment, that consciousness is a development by measure according to the level of evolution an individual has arrived at?

Yes. Something like this. I think so.

edit: although I don't know what you mean by "the level of evolution an individual has arrived at".

@secondson said
Too many questions with too few answers.

It's OK to opt for the 'a creator being created it' explanation, if you want to.

@fmf said
But you don't have to ask if you don't want to. What makes you think you have to ask?

But you're the one that asked when you started this thread.

Is all you want to do is make assertions and then be critical of others input, or do you want consciousness defined by a rational discourse assuming others may have another perspective?

All I'm doing is exploring the concepts and trying to think outside the box. And I don't need to be religious about it either.

@fmf said
Because of our brain functions.

Animals have brains that function too.

Is consciousness solely a function of the brain, or could it be a function of a deeper more essential component of our being?

@fmf said
edit: although I don't know what you mean by "the level of evolution an individual has arrived at".

Evolution occurs in stages over the course of time. Surely not all biological life is at the same stage of development. It would seem that some humans may not be at the same level of development, evolutionarily speaking, with regards to higher function.

After all, evolutionists are always comparing one species with another, especially between humans and apes, with the idea that man is much further ahead on the evolutionary scale than monkeys. Why not make the same assumptions with regards to humans?

@fmf said
It's OK to opt for the 'a creator being created it' explanation, if you want to.

Don't need to. Let your consciousness be your guide. 🙂

@secondson said
Is consciousness solely a function of the brain, or could it be a function of a deeper more essential component of our being?

Yes, I think consciousness is solely a function of the brain and it's in harness with the culture it gives rise to, which in turn enhances the consciousness.

@secondson said
But you're the one that asked when you started this thread.

Yes. I asked for definitions of consciousness. You are the one, not me, who suggested there was something "wrong" with asking

@secondson said
Is all you want to do is make assertions and then be critical of others input, or do you want consciousness defined by a rational discourse assuming others may have another perspective?

If your assertions about consciousness is that yours is somehow eternal, just speak plainly and say so.

@secondson said
Is all you want to do is make assertions and then be critical of others input

A definition is a kind of assertion. Do you have any assertions/definitions to offer? Feel free to be critical of my input. You seem intent on being equivocal. Your own consciousness is eternal, is it? Is mine? Be clear.

@fmf said
Yes, I think consciousness is solely a function of the brain and it's in harness with the culture it gives rise to, which in turn enhances the consciousness.

Are you absolutely certain that consciousness is solely a function of the brain?

@fmf said
Yes. I asked for definitions of consciousness. You are the one, not me, who suggested there was something "wrong" with asking

Surely you realize you're mischaracterizing my intent.

I see nothing "wrong" with asking anything, and that's not what I meant.

@fmf said
If your assertions about consciousness is that yours is somehow eternal, just speak plainly and say so.

I don't agree with you that consciousness is solely a function of the brain. But you already know that.

What you don't know is everything about brain function. Science knows very little in fact, so your dogmatic assertion that consciousness is solely a function of the brain has little merit.