Consciousness

[Trevor Salyzyn]

Since genius is consciousness of the nature of Ultimate Reality, I think it important to know what consciousness is. I've come to think of consciousness as a middle ground between two forms of unconsciousness: instinct on one end, and a sort of overarching narrative of our own lives on the other.

When something enters consciousness, we are clearly aware of it. Instincts that become self-aware thereby become conscious; but, before becoming conscious, they must come to us as pre-conscious feelings. Similarly, as we reflect on our narrative, we gain awareness of the shape of our whole life. Since it is a narrative, the facts, when they become conscious, are often selected and connected by our desires.

Shaping our consciousness to the nature of Reality (the second part of this definition of genius) is a daunting task, since consciousness as described above is personal and egoistic. Human consciousness does not immediately care about that which isn't personal, and thus our instincts shun it, and our life-story misrepresents it, and so we have to learn without the benefit of guiding feelings.

[jufa]

You said nothing to define consciousness here.

I've come to think of consciousness as a middle ground between two forms of unconsciousness: instinct on one end, and a sort of overarching narrative of our own lives on the other.

Never give power to anything a person believes is their source of strength - jufa

[Trevor Salyzyn]

Besides putting it in that hole between what is essentially id and superego, I called consciousness "clear awareness". Isn't that sufficient, or how would you define it?

[jufa]

Besides putting it in that hole between what is essentially id and superego, I called consciousness "clear awareness". Isn't that sufficient, or how would you define it?

This is what you call it. Now what is it definitive to what everyone universally would call it?

Never give power to anything a person believes is their source of strength - jufa

[Matt Gregory]

I would personally define it along the lines of "truthful thinking", since truth is what connects us to reality.