1.1 What are we actually talking about?

In order to examine a concept in science, a very good place to start is by defining it. But while you might have a good intuitive sense of what it means to be conscious, it turns out that reaching a clear definition is not so straightforward. Before going any further, think about the meaning of the word ‘conscious’.

The question of consciousness has historically been a philosophical one. It’s only quite recently that it’s emerged as an area that science can even begin to examine. This fundamental change has come about through the development of new ways of studying the brain, which you will look at shortly. One important thing to know up front is that this new field of study has yet to develop fully consistent terms, because it’s still unclear precisely what it is we’re talking about!

Broadly speaking, ‘consciousness’ encompasses having thoughts, perceptions, feelings and awareness. But are these different aspects of a single phenomenon, or are there different types of consciousness? That isn’t clear yet either. A precise and universally accepted definition will probably have to wait a while, as more continues to be learned.

The idea of ‘conscious experience’ is a major focus in current scientific research. Our experiences have a particular internal ‘feel’ or ‘character’ to them. These are subjective and can be quite hard (or even impossible) to describe, and yet they’re distinctive and instantly recognisable. For example, when we see something vivid red in colour, our brain doesn’t just ‘tick the red box’ as a robot might. There is an associated quality that we experience internally – and this might vary quite substantially from one individual to another. So, how could that sensation of perceiving ‘red’ be described to someone who has never experienced colour before? How can you know that your experience of red is the same as anyone else’s? These qualities that make up a subjective experience are often called ‘qualia’; some other examples would be things like the smell of freshly ground coffee, the pain of stubbing a toe, and the thrill of riding a roller coaster. This aspect of consciousness is broadly referred to as ‘phenomenal consciousness’.

Note that ‘self-consciousness’ has two different meanings. In psychology, it commonly refers to the preoccupation with one’s own appearance or actions that’s typically heightened during teenage years. It also describes our concept of ‘I’ as a distinct individual.

The term ‘self-aware’ might be used to describe some similar ideas; we’re aware of our own existence in a way that, for example, our television isn’t. We all have this feeling of being an individual person – with our own thoughts, hopes and desires – and observing the external world from behind our eyes.

That clears all that up then! Well, maybe not, but it’s a start. Establishing some terms and fundamental questions paves the way forward in examining consciousness.