Define consciousness

Have a go. Or several goes.

I propose NOT quoting dictionaries or 'experts'.

Being able to perceive one's existence within an environment and to be aware of one's capacity to affect or be affected by others who share such consciousness.

@fmf said
Being able to perceive one's existence within an environment and to be aware of one's capacity to affect or be affected by others who share such consciousness.

Does that word "consciousness" at the end make my attempted definition a bit circular?

@fmf said
Does that word "consciousness" ar the end make my attempted definition a bit circular?

Being able to perceive one's existence within an environment and to be aware of one's capacity to affect or be affected by others who also exist in that environment.

@fmf said
Being able to perceive one's existence within an environment and to be aware of one's capacity to affect or be affected by others who also exist in that environment.

Maybe simpler:

Consciousness is the ability to perceive one's capacity to affect or be affected by one's environment.

The capacity to access memories and recognize oneself as the witness and perpetrator of the events they record.

Define consciousness:

The awareness that there is some stuff going on with regard to yourself and the world that evidently surrounds you that necessitates and enables the asking of the question: what is consciousness?

Ha ha.

Is that circular?

You’re talking to yourself. That’s consciousness. QED

Perhaps the consciousness is essentially circular;
self acknowledging Self.

@moonbus said
You’re talking to yourself. That’s consciousness. QED

Good one; although, it turns out I was talking to you.

Being self aware.

One aspect of consciousness is knowing one is finite, yet having the capacity to be conscious of the eternal.

@secondson said
One aspect of consciousness is knowing one is finite, yet having the capacity to be conscious of the eternal.

I'd certainly agree that the capacity to speculate ~ about abstract things, about the possibility and impossibility of things, and even about unknowable things ~ is a defining element of consciousness.

@fmf said
I'd certainly agree that the capacity to speculate ~ about abstract things, about the possibility and impossibility of things, and even about unknowable things ~ is a defining element of consciousness.

I think our consciousnesses gives us the awareness of our capacities to think, of brain functions, but consciousness isn't the cause of those capacities.

Consciousness is the awareness of the finiteness of self in conjunction with, and in relationship to, the infinite and eternal.

I'm not saying this is the definitive definition.

@secondson said
Consciousness is the awareness of the finiteness of self in conjunction with, and in relationship to, the infinite and eternal.

I'm not saying this is the definitive definition.

No, it certainly wouldn't qualify as a "definitive definition" [and the same might be said about my attempts to cobble one together] because "awareness of the finiteness of self" is only one particular aspect of awareness of self; the capacities we have that comprise consciousness are able to get to grips with countless other aspects of self than just "finiteness".

Same goes for "the infinite and eternal". Our capacities and faculties ~ our consciousness ~ enable us to address a far bigger range of philosophical questions than that. Indeed, one can have consciousness without spending any time at all considering "the infinite and eternal".