What is Consciousness?
- Frank Matus
- Jan 10
- 1 min read
Excerpt from Chapter 1
Consciousness in Crisis
Consciousness is a bit like the Wi-Fi of the mind: it's everywhere, constant and crucial, with the kicker being that nobody really knows how it works.
Scientists, philosophers, religious scholars and everyone in between grapple with defining it, let alone understand it.
I am baffled as to how this cannot be topic number 1 on everyone’s “What the fuck?” list, but we’ll get into that later.
Some describe consciousness as the state of being aware of and able to think about one's own existence and surroundings.
“I think, therefore I am” as famously described by Latin philosopher Rene Descartes[1].
Others go deeper, pondering the rich inner lives we all experience – the vivid and colourful memories, the emotional tapestries, and the peculiar dreams, like where you're late for an exam you haven't studied for in years or the work presentation whereby you are inexplicably not wearing any pants.
I was stood up by two dates in the one dream literally last night, so delve into that fun little chestnut at your peril!
[1] Descartes, R. (1637) Discourse on the Method.
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