The concept of "consciousness", properties and levels of consciousness. Where does our consciousness fit?

Where does our consciousness fit? What it is? How does it work and interact with our body? These questions are far from new. They were asked by so many ancient scholars as Hippocrates. And even in those distant times he came to the conclusion that all mental processes originate directly in the brain. It is this most complex human organ that is the place where our consciousness is placed, which makes us fully live, function, analyze and carry out a whole series of actions that we do not even think about.

Origin of the concept

To begin with, we decided to describe in detail what consciousness is. When such a term came into being, what was the meaning of this or that researcher, how do ordinary people identify it? The concept of consciousness, as already noted above, appeared even in ancient times. Philosophers, who from unknown sources derived their phenomenal knowledge, clearly realized that each person perceives this world in his own way. They distinguished the objective picture of the environment, which, as it were, was visible only to the Gods, and subjective. The second one had so many interpretations, how many people lived on the planet. Based on this in their teachings and treatises, concepts such as existentiality, reality, perception, and many others arise.

The refutation of science

In turn, Plato promoted a completely different interpretation of this phenomenon. The concept of consciousness in his writings is based entirely on spiritual canons. He believed that man was created in the image and likeness of God, and his consciousness, which is necessary only for worship, is located in the soul. Of course, it is separated from the body. His Christian follower - Thomas Aquinas - on the basis of these works made his conclusions about where our consciousness is located. He also claimed that it is separate from the flesh and is one with the soul. The funny thing is that this theory was also picked up by Descartes. However, he introduced a certain specifics, which later became known as "dualism." The essence was that a person consists of two parts - the soul and the body. They are interrelated, and the first receives signals from the second, thus regulating the needs and desires.

Modern philosophers and their judgments

Our contemporaries are confident that the place where our consciousness is located is the material brain. It is this body that regulates the work of all the others, it gives rise to thoughts, impulses, needs that generate both vital actions (nutrition, sex) and more "deep" from the point of view of philosophy (reading, drawing, traveling, ). But here everyone stumbles upon the main underwater stone: it is the irresolvable task to study consciousness. If this substance is tightly connected to the brain, until the latter is studied, we will not move from the dead center.

Deeper approach to the problem

Some researchers, such as D. Searle and T. Nagel, overlook all extremes and reveal a completely different picture. The concept of consciousness seems to them as a whole set of mental functions that are based on biological ones. Thus, it turns out that this substance is something much more than a separate brain function. Consciousness embraces the human body completely, including all its sensory channels, all the possibilities of the organs, muscles and brain. In this regard, Nagel and Searle divide it into two components - unity and subjectivity.

Unity

This category includes such properties of consciousness as the juxtaposition of facts and the creation of a general picture. For example, we get to a new place where our attention is attracted by a beautiful yacht. A man admires the ship, losing sight of all the other details that surround him. At the same time, he does not look at the yacht, which is in the void or in the studio, where all the walls, floor and ceiling are painted in the same paint. He sees her against the background of the sea, nailed to the pier, trees, sand and so on are visible around. And all this he is not surprised, as these conditions are typical for a yacht. But if he really contemplated her in the studio, his consciousness would take it as something strange. Or vice versa, if there was a truck on the site of the yacht that was half sunk in the water, it would cause quite a different reaction, but not admiration.

Subjectivity

Where the subjective problem of consciousness is more complex. Its essence lies in the fact that each of us, and not only man, but also an animal, perceives everything in its own way. The fact that all people (or all dogs) see colors and sounds equally is established by physicists. Radiation or sound has its own wave, which equally affects our neurons. But here is the meaning that we put in this or that shade, in this or that note, sounded on the piano, fundamentally different. On the basis of this, the experience of another person, we can use only indirectly, based on his stories, which again we perceive through the prism of our own impressions. It is possible to rant on this subject for days, therefore we will briefly say that the subjective side of consciousness is still a mystery for researchers.

A little bit about the essence

What does a person or any other living entity receive due to the fact that it is endowed with consciousness? Why is this component a necessary part of us, without which there can not be a full-fledged existence? Mainly the essence of consciousness lies in the fact that thanks to him we become a person. It consists not only of a set of biological processes that are controlled by brain neurons and pour out to us in the form of desires and physical needs. Throughout life it constantly changes, filling with memory, experience, new impressions, knowledge. Consciousness shapes our imagination, as well as our outlook. Thanks to him we can become an interesting person, a scientist, we can present ourselves in a favorable light. Consciousness makes it possible not only to evaluate the surrounding picture, but also to accept oneself. Thanks to him we feel ourselves who we are.

"Spectrum of services"

Now we will examine in more detail the basic properties of consciousness.

• The first is activity - any person realizes that he lives in this world and must act.
• Selectivity - we do not perceive the whole world or the universe as a whole. Constantly each of us is puzzled by a specific problem.
• Generality - analyzing certain events, actions, objects in our brain, we focus on the main thing, while in this whole picture, minor moments are overlooked or exaggerated.
• Integrity is what makes it possible to sensibly perceive the objects that stand in their places and the surrounding entourage.
• Constancy - is conditioned by memory and experience (not to step on the rake, to bypass this or that tenth road, etc.).
• Dynamic - consciousness is a substance that is unstable. It undergoes metamorphosis literally every day.
• Distortion is the most interesting quality. Each of us subjectively perceives the world. Memory can deceive sight and hearing. And all because only in our minds there are certain constants that correct the perception of reality.

Mirror of our soul

In philosophical and religious treatises it is customary to single out numerous levels of consciousness. According to the sages, it is possible to reach the depths of one's essence through meditation. We will not delve into Buddhist practices, but simply consider the two sides of the medal - the mind is sound and subconscious. The first level is extremely important for the full existence of the individual in his environment. On this so-called conscious plane, there is perception, analysis, processing of information, and as a consequence, the further construction of an individual picture of the world. No less important is the subconscious. It is most often activated during sleep, but it often works in the waking state of a person. Unlike consciousness, it does not have the same quality as analysis, therefore it can give us chaotic pictures that need to be deciphered. With some mental deviations a person bases his world on the subconscious. This is the reason for its inadequacy.

Buddhist canons

To learn about what the worlds of consciousness are, you need to turn a little to Buddhism, which we will now do.

1. The world of hell is not a life after death, but a human being in real time. Extremely crushed condition, bodily and spiritual anguish, from which you wish to die.
2. The world of hunger is a state of consciousness when a person always wants something, and his greed has no boundaries.
3. The world of cattle - to live by following instincts, no more.
4. The world of the demon Asura is the life of aggressive and arrogant people, prone to selfishness, violence, mockery of the weaker and contemptuous.
5. The human world is an average position that balances between bad and good realities. Here we live, enjoying the process, working and growing children.
6. The world of heaven is a state of consciousness when a person is full of joy all the time. He enjoys every minute, catches the moment and is always on the positive.
7. The world of those who listen to the voice - here you can see the levels of consciousness that need improvement. People who are in this position always read books, go deeper into a certain sphere of activity, study and improve themselves.
8. The world itself is going to enlightenment - everything is simple. It is represented by people who develop themselves, without the help of mentors.
9. The world of bodhisattvas - a person deliberately sacrifices himself for the sake of others.
10. The world of buddhas is deprived of desires, needs and greed. Everyone who belongs to him, knows no suffering, he is only concerned about the good of others, for which he does everything.