Q. Definition of Consciousness?
Consciousness is a phenomenon that is shared by nearly all people. It cannot be directly seen or touched. Yet it is real enough to most people. It is the fundamental state that denotes the being as alive and gives the body the necessary information about the world outside it and about the body itself. It covers cognitive functions such as attention, sensory experiences, memory and states such as being awake or dreaming.
Several definitions of Consciousness have been proposed by different authors: Consciousness consists of all the sensations, perceptions, memories and feelings you are aware of at any instance (Farthing, 1992). Consciousness is the awareness of environmental and cognitive events such as sights and sounds of the world as well as of one's memories, thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations. By this definition consciousness has two sides:Consciousness includes a realisation of environmental stimuli. For example one
might become mindful of an old tune, a headache, or visual recognition of an old
friend.
Consciousness also includes once cognisance of mental events - thoughts that results from memories
Consciousness is a psychological construct - a concept i.e. devised to help us understand our observations or behaviours. The construct of consciousness has several meanings.
Consciousness as sensory awareness: our sense organs (Eyes, ears, nose etc.) enable us become aware of the environment.