"Consciousness, at its simplest, is awareness of internal and external existence."
The subjective experience of awareness. Learn about the different theories of consciousness, how it is studied, and its relationship to brain function.
What is consciousness: A philosophical and scientific overview of the concept of consciousness and the different interpretations of it.
Brain regions involved in consciousness: A review of the brain regions that have been implicated in the generation and maintenance of consciousness, such as the prefrontal cortex, thalamus, and brainstem.
Neural correlates of consciousness: The search for the neuronal activity that corresponds to subjective experience, and the implication of complex neural mechanisms for the emergence of conscious states.
Attention and consciousness: The role of attention on the selection and integration of sensory information, and the relation between attention and conscious awareness.
Brain waves and consciousness: The study of brain rhythms like alpha, beta, gamma, and theta oscillations, and their association with different states of consciousness.
Altered states of consciousness: The examination of different ways that consciousness can be altered or expanded; from meditation, drug consumption, physical states, or even trauma.
Disorders of consciousness: An overview of the most common conditions that affect or alter consciousness, such as coma, vegetative state, minimally conscious state, and locked-in syndrome.
Consciousness as an emergent property: The idea that consciousness arises as a result of the interaction of many different neural processes, and the implications of this for understanding the nature of consciousness.
Theories of consciousness: A review of the different theories proposed to explain the nature and mechanisms of consciousness, from dualism to materialism, from information integration to global workspace, among others.
Consciousness and the self: The relation between consciousness and the sense of self, including the role of self-awareness, autobiographical memory, and self-reflection on the construction of the self.
Sensory Consciousness: This type of consciousness is associated with perception and the awareness of sensory information through the five senses.
Self-Consciousness: The ability to be aware and recognize oneself as an individual being, often involving introspection and self-reflection.
Stream-of-Consciousness: The continuous flow of thoughts, feelings, and sensations in the mind that forms our subjective experience.
Altered States of Consciousness: Different mental states, such as sleep, meditation, hypnosis or drug-induced states, that affect the level and quality of consciousness.
Metacognition: The ability to monitor and regulate one's own thinking and cognitive processes.
Emotional Consciousness: Conscious experience of emotions that include feelings of joy, anger, sadness, and fear.
Higher States of Consciousness: Transcendental states beyond ordinary awareness, such as mystical or spiritual experiences.
Unconsciousness: The absence of awareness and responsiveness to stimuli, usually due to a traumatic brain injury, coma, or anesthesia.
Pre-Reflective Consciousness: A basic form of consciousness that grounds all cognitive experiences, which includes an underlying sense of presence and subjective perspective.
Intentional Consciousness: The ability to focus one's attention on a specific task or object, often conscious of purpose or goal.
"Opinions differ about what exactly needs to be studied or even considered consciousness. In some explanations, it is synonymous with the mind, and at other times, an aspect of mind. In the past, it was one's 'inner life,' the world of introspection, of private thought, imagination and volition."
"Some explanations [of consciousness] are synonymous with the mind, and at other times, an aspect of mind."
"Today, it often includes any kind of cognition, experience, feeling, or perception."
"It may be awareness, awareness of awareness, or self-awareness either continuously changing or not."
"The disparate range of research, notions, and speculations raises a curiosity about whether the right questions are being asked."
"Examples of the range of descriptions, definitions, or explanations are: simple wakefulness."
"It was one's 'inner life', the world of introspection, of private thought, imagination, and volition."
"It often includes any kind of cognition, experience, feeling, or perception."
"It may be awareness, awareness of awareness, or self-awareness either continuously changing or not."
"Being a metaphorical 'stream' of contents."
"Being a mental state, mental event, or mental process of the brain."
"It has led to millennia of analyses, explanations and debates by philosophers, theologians, linguists, and scientists."
"Opinions differ about what exactly needs to be studied or even considered consciousness."
"Consciousness, at its simplest, is awareness of internal and external existence."
"Consciousness, at its simplest, is awareness of internal and external existence."
"One's sense of selfhood or soul explored by 'looking within'."
"Opinions differ about what exactly needs to be studied or even considered consciousness. In some explanations, it is synonymous with the mind."
"Today, it often includes any kind of cognition, experience, feeling or perception."
"It may be awareness, awareness of awareness, or self-awareness either continuously changing or not."