Define consciousness

@fmf said
A definition is a kind of assertion. Do you have any assertions/definitions to offer? Feel free to be critical of my input. You seem intent on being equivocal. Your own consciousness is eternal, is it? Is mine? Be clear.

I've been engaged with you in an exchange of ideas about consciousness for almost the entire thread. How can you behave as though I'm withholding something about what I think about consciousness?

You seem at odds with the fact that I'm not spiritualizing consciousness with biblical references.

If you want to know what I think about how the consciousness of man is defined by the Bible, then start a thread titled "Consciousness and the Bible".

In the mean time I think we've exhausted this discussion and have arrived at the conclusion that you think consciousness is solely a function of the brain and I think it goes deeper into the nature of our existence.

@secondson said
Surely you realize you're mischaracterizing my intent.

I see nothing "wrong" with asking anything, and that's not what I meant.

But you said "what is consciousness? Seems there's something wrong with the asking." What is the "something wrong" you are talking about?

@secondson said
Are you absolutely certain that consciousness is solely a function of the brain?

No.

@secondson said
What you don't know is everything about brain function. Science knows very little in fact, so your dogmatic assertion that consciousness is solely a function of the brain has little merit.

Does it have more or less merit than your assertion that your consciousness will exist for eternity even after you are dead?

@secondson said
You seem at odds with the fact that I'm not spiritualizing consciousness with biblical references.

Is your contention that your consciousness is eternal not related to your religious beliefs then?

@secondson said
If you want to know what I think about how the consciousness of man is defined by the Bible, then start a thread titled "Consciousness and the Bible".

How the consciousness of man is defined by the Bible doesn't belong on a thread on a Spirituality Forum entitled "Define consciousness"?

@fmf said
But you said "what is consciousness? Seems there's something wrong with the asking." What is the "something wrong" you are talking about?

You don't understand the inference?

@fmf said
No.

Isn't that why you started this thread?

I think a good definition of consciousness might be~it is what it does.

Then the question arises, how did consciousness come into existence? Like how did everything come into existence?

Life is a merry-go-round? Circular reasoning. Circular logic. The world keeps turning. Was, is and is to come. The perpetual now from three different perspectives.

@secondson said
Then the question arises, how did consciousness come into existence? Like how did everything come into existence?

If you want to make some assertions about these things ~ especially about consciousness ~ based on your religious beliefs, feel free to do so.

@secondson said
You don't understand the inference?

Why do you think there's something wrong with asking what consciousness is?

@secondson said
I think a good definition of consciousness might be~it is what it does.

Why then did you say this in answer to one of my suggested definitions on page 2 of this thread:

That says what consciousness does, not what it is. The title of the thread is "define consciousness". Its definition is what it is, not what it does.

You have changed your mind, then?

@fmf said
Does it have more or less merit than your assertion that your consciousness will exist for eternity even after you are dead?

Your assertion has as much merit as your opinion seeing as how you're not really sure.

On the other hand my beliefs are founded on the wisdom of God. Your uncertainty about the existence of God notwithstanding.

It's a tough thing isn't it that such a conundrum should exist? Like the proverbial irresistible force and immovable object.

How can one bear up under the stress of uncertainty? Especially about the truth. Where is the guide for consciousness? What is my consciousness telling me, relative to the truth of things, deep inside my...what? My brain?

@fmf said
Is your contention that your consciousness is eternal not related to your religious beliefs then?

No.

@secondson said
Your assertion has as much merit as your opinion seeing as how you're not really sure.

So you believe your assertion ~ that your consciousness will exist for eternity even after you are dead ~ has some additional merit because you are "really sure"?

@secondson said

@fmf said
Is your contention that your consciousness is eternal not related to your religious beliefs then?

@secondson said
No.

Upon what is it based, then?