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Consciousness is generally characterized as awareness of internal and/or external states, but there is no consensus on what precisely must be studied or how to define it scientifically.
Consciousness is commonly defined as awareness of something internal to oneself (one’s thoughts, feelings, imagination, volition) and/or awareness of states or objects in the external environment. Historically, “consciousness” was tied to an “inner life” accessible through introspection, but modern usage often expands it to include cognition, experience, perception, and various forms of self-related awareness (such as metacognition or awareness of awareness). The topic also notes that there is no full consensus on what exactly should count as the phenomenon to be studied, or even whether consciousness is a well-defined scientific concept. The scope of the concept is debated across philosophy, science, and medicine. Philosophers distinguish different technical notions—such as introspective consciousness (what is available to introspection) and phenomenal consciousness (the “what it is like” aspect of experience). Definitions in everyday language and dictionaries vary, reflecting disagreements about whether consciousness should mean inward awareness, perception of the physical world, a mental entity versus a mental activity, or a broad totality of mental states. In medicine, consciousness has a practical operational role, for example in distinguishing coma from other impaired states. Overall, the difficulty of defining consciousness without circularity or fuzziness shapes how research questions are framed and pursued.
Consciousness is generally characterized as awareness of internal and/or external states, but there is no consensus on what precisely must be studied or how to define it scientifically.
The scope of consciousness ranges from introspective “inner life” to broader notions like cognition, experience, and self-awareness, with philosophical distinctions such as introspective vs phenomenal consciousness.
Medical and scientific uses treat consciousness as an operationally assessable state (e.g., distinguishing coma), while philosophical debates highlight definitional and methodological challenges.
Awareness of internal states (thoughts, feelings) and/or external objects and events, often including experience and self-related awareness.
A mental state is introspectively conscious if it is introspected (or poised to be introspected).
An experience is phenomenally conscious if there is something it is like for the subject to have it.
A broad category used by many modern accounts as a synonym or core component of consciousness, covering being attentive to experiences or surroundings.
A practical clinical notion used to assess and distinguish states of impaired awareness (such as coma) from other conditions.
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