General definition of consciousness

Summary

Consciousness is generally defined as awareness of something internal to oneself (such as one’s thoughts, feelings, or mental states) and/or awareness of states or objects in the external environment. Historically, it was often treated as one’s “inner life,” centered on introspection—private thought, imagination, and volition. In more modern usage, consciousness commonly includes a broader range of cognition and experience, such as perception, feeling, metacognition, and self-awareness, which may be continuous or changing. There is no single agreed-upon definition of consciousness, and scholars debate what exactly should count as the phenomenon to study. Some approaches treat consciousness as synonymous with mind, while others treat it as an aspect of mind. Common dictionary and philosophical distinctions include separating inward awareness from perception of the physical world, distinguishing conscious from unconscious states, and clarifying whether consciousness is a mental entity, activity, or process. Philosophers also distinguish between introspective consciousness (what is accessible via introspection) and phenomenal consciousness (the “what it is like” aspect of experience).

Key Points

• 1

  Consciousness is commonly understood as awareness of internal mental states and/or external surroundings, but there is no consensus on a precise definition.

• 2

  Historically linked to “inner life” and introspection, consciousness today is often associated with cognition, experience, feeling, perception, and forms of self-awareness.

• 3

  Philosophical work highlights distinctions such as introspective vs. phenomenal consciousness and emphasizes the difficulty of defining consciousness without circularity or ambiguity.