What is consciousness?

Understanding what consciousness is, and why and how it evolved, is perhaps the greatest mystery known to science.

[merveilmeok]

The comments on this video are so intelligent that I STOPPED watching the video and started reading many comments before returning to the video. Thank you, guys.

[WWIIman]

Best analogy for consciousness that I've heard is that it is like a TV set. We see a monitor showing sounds, colors, images, emitting senses that we can perceive. However if we tried to take the TV apart to see where the images are coming from, all that we're left with is bits and pieces, when really the images are coming from the radio waves being transmitted through the antennas.
Perhaps this is a spiritual outlook on consciousness, but as my friend Mukesh formerly said, it's food for thought.

[samgandy]

"Science cannot solve the ultimate mystery of nature [consciousness], for in the final analysis we ourselves are part of the mystery we are trying to solve." - Max Planck

[NicCovington]

This is hands down the best comment section I have ever seen! So many great theories.

[claudealpha]

Trying to understand consciousness is basically the brain trying to understand itself. It's pretty amusing if you think about it.

[g]

All animals have and experience consciousness, in the sense that when they perceive a threat or danger to their existence, they avoid it or take measures to protect themselves, and when they do not, they take measures to procreate. But the starkest difference, and maybe the biggest and ONLY difference between man and an animal is that man has the ability to turn the mind's eye inwards and self-reflect, to ask deep questions about the meaning and origins of not only his existence, but existence of the universe itself.

[cognitio]

It seems highly unlikely to me that humans would develop consciousness while all other animals don't have it. I think it's more likely that consciousness follows a spectrum and is simply related to awareness of the outside world and of how it changes.

[edwardwong]

There is no way that other animals do not have consciousness. They may not be as developed as ours, but they definitely have consciousness.

[mariobenitez]

Last time, I tried to figure out this question.I felt I was going crazy.

[scottcupp]

My neurologist and I were talking about how the brain works and all of its inner functions. She said that science knows a lot about the brain. I asked her, "Do you think we will ever figure out how the brain works completely?" She said, " I don't think we were ever meant to." Profound statement and absolutely true. The brain is a mystery. I don't think that science will ever completely figure it out. Besides that, when science learns something, something else pops up. The brain is mysterious and beautiful. It is us. We are looking out at the world through a set of peripherals. Who we really are is encased in a dark, protective, skull.

[tonyellis]

The really curious thing is that we have a level of consciousness that transcends merely surviving. We have a level of consciousness that allows us to enjoy and appreciate the level of consciousness we have. Maybe that's the universes way of telling us to be happy.

[hughgrection]

we are the universe's way of experiencing itself

[PaladinswordSaurfang]

Consciousness can't be an illusion, because illusions themselves are conscious experiences.

[Chris-fhqv]

The ability to enjoy things like Art, music and film is what boggles me. Our ability to explain the world around us, mystify, de-mystify, and construct reality is what leaves me thinking about why is consciousness the way it is, Why and how has it been decided that these things were necessary for survival. There is no need for these things in our lives but yet, here we are.

The complexity in which we perceive the world just makes me think that there is more to it. There is no need for such complexity and superfluous existence. We could do without half the stuff we experience/feel but yet here we are. With all....this.


I am sure science will reverse engineer and explain a lot of things in my lifetime. But there is the burning question that occurs to me in my quiet moments. Why is there even life/evolution and succession of things that work in harmonic force together? It is like a machine learning algorithm that continues to grow more efficient over time.

My human pea brain will never understand such things and while it is great to live life by the rules of science. You can also live by supposition within reason. That there is a great unknown and in the age of reason we are too quick to say what is without evidence can be dismissed. I like to be open to possibilities and I veer on the side of rationale. That yes this existence will end and so will my consciousness. But then I think why am I? Why is this?

Intelligent design, it may not be as there are plenty of ridiculous flaws in our bodies and other species. But design there is nonetheless. Consciousness has a higher meaning I believe and so does the universe. I live in the here and now. What I can experience, touch, feel, and think. But me telling someone even 50 years ago the concept of a smartphone, they would laugh and say that's something out of a sci-fi. Everything is not possible till it is possible. Be open-minded and be hopeful it is what has gotten us this far.

[johnlee]

I personally believe that consciousness created the universe and not the other way around. It would explain why things are relative to the viewer, why perception is different for everyone

[Mannih]

It seems as if consciousness is the only state we will ever experience; If we're not conscious, we don't experience. Trying to apply the concept of reality as one true state I believe causes pain and denial in us. That there is something more real out there, that we cannot experience. If there is, we would never be able to know about it purely of its nature, if there isn't, well alright, we will know about it eventually.

Experience and consciousness is required to define itself. Trying to define it as something that we cannot experience or imagine is therefore impossible.

[Sarahizahhsum]

I am an agnostic and I am set on pursuing what happens after death. This has helped my understanding immensely and I am grateful for that.

[eminemishh]

Has anyone looked in the mirror for a couple minutes and just asked who am I? Felt like I was a stranger to myself it was such a strange feeling.

[martinsalazar]

I read an article on how an artifical intelligence will help explain the human conscious. This study could be on how we learn behaviors based on our understanding and perspective. It could also explain how memories help shaped the brain's ability to be aware or surrounding and the critical claim of survival.

[soleil_]

we are always fully conscious because our brains work in miraculous ways. even when we are asleep our brain still works. that's why we can actually do anything and everything subconsciously