What are we?

Consciousness. It’s rather strange that the very thing we claim to “be” is a concept we cannot readily define. I suppose consciousness is the property that makes us conscious. But what does that mean? How do we define “being conscious”? It is interesting to ponder what it is, of course, but always to little logical avail. You claim to know that consciousness exists because you are conscious. In fact, this is really the only thing that we truly know. On another note, I have no way of knowing that you, the reader, are yourself conscious; or anyone else for that matter. For all I know, I’m the only conscious being in the universe, and everyone else is just a neurological robot reacting to stimuli—or else, just an illusion. But I digress; and I will now continue on the basis that this conjecture is false. Let me begin by explaining why consciousness is weird. The human brain is just a complex neurological computer. It should, through physical and chemical processes, be able to function independently; taking in stimuli, looking upon past experience, and making decisions. It should exist by itself just like that, as an intricate chemical chain reaction explained by the laws of physics and operating by itself like a well-made machine. But that’s not all there is, and I can attest to that personally, because I am conscious. The fact that I consciously exist doesn’t make sense, and really shouldn’t be necessary for the brain to function. That means that there is something else—some force or entity that exists in coordination with our mind, and creates the miracle of perceiving consciousness. So that’s all very well and good, but something still troubles me; something that I still feel needs to be answered. I have but one simple question: Why do I consciously exist in this existence and in this mind and at this time? Of all the conscious beings I could have been, why do I find myself in this one?  Why am I spending my whole life, and all of my existence in this person? What in the universe would decide that definitively? That really troubles me to think about. An example of how these problematic questions make me feel is the way I felt when I was pondering the nature of time. I was thinking about how the human mind can perceive the passage of time at different rates for numerous reasons—brain damage, drugs, aging, different situations you may find yourself in, etc. This means that time does not necessarily pass at the rate we may perceive it to pass. And if that’s the case, then at what rate does time pass? There is nothing to decide this, and therefore, time doesn’t necessarily pass at all. Time is eternal and can exist at any point, and the fact that we seem to exist at this present moment in time, as well as the property of the passage of time, are illusions. This used to be only a theory of mine, but was recently announced as scientific fact by a Nova program. Anyway, take this example and try to apply it to consciousness. There is nothing to decide why my consciousness should exist in this distinct context. Therefore, it doesn’t necessarily! This thought really takes my imagination for a ride, possessing some amazing possible implications. In the same sense that we discovered time to not actually exist at any one particular point, my consciousness doesn’t necessarily exist in this particular context—both are simply illusions. The property of presently existing in this mind right now, as well as the property of the passage of time, is an illusion! And the culprit that renders these illusions?—I believe consciousness to be guilty. Consciousness may be another fundamental property or entity in existence. To this entity, time and space may be irrelevant—until it asserts itself into a context, which I believe it must do in order to exist. I believe that my consciousness is an eternal property. Science tells us that nothing can be created or destroyed, but rather, may change form. This statement should hold true to all things that exist. It would not logically make sense for this property of consciousness to be destroyed.  To think that as our life slips away, so too does our “existence”, is illogical. I used to think that, and one of the ways I would justify it is by thinking, “I didn’t exist—and neither did any form of existence—before I was born. So that means it is possible for me not to exist, meaning that when I die, I probably no longer do exist—just like before I was born.” There aren’t a lot of things in this world that genuinely scare me, but this thought kept me up at night for years with instantaneous bouts of insurmountable horror at this realization. But I now have new insight to keep me at ease. You see, I based that argument off of not remembering any form of existence before I was born. But just because I don’t remember anything doesn’t mean there wasn’t something. You see, I believe that consciousness is nothing more than the simple property of a “point-of-view”. I don’t believe it to have memories, values, emotions, or thoughts of its own at all—that is the job of the physical mind; the context. Moving on to another facet of this whole topic, I previously stated that I believe my consciousness to be an eternal entity; so for all intents and purposes, you could say that I believe in reincarnation—a form of reincarnation that would be independent of a timeline (not sequential).  Do I believe that we can be reincarnated into other creatures? That seems logical, I suppose. But at what point of neurological capacity does a creature merit consciousness? I mean, what would be the standards that consciousness has for “linking” itself to a mind? If I have one neuron, will it be conscious? If I have two neurons, will it be conscious? If I have a hundred neurons, will it be conscious then? At what point does it merit consciousness? Or is that not determined by neurological capacity, but rather by the way those neurons are arranged? Maybe some neurological algorithm exists that beckons consciousness to take a hold of a mind. Maybe there is some physical mechanism in the mind which we have not yet discovered that gives us a consciousness. It really is hard to say. Anyway, the next most pertinent question is: are there others? Are there many consciousnesses? (Similar to there being many “souls” in religious beliefs). There could be many consciousnesses undergoing reincarnation all the time here on earth. But I’m not sure I believe that to be true. Unlike the idea of a “soul” my consciousness is a blank slate—again, nothing more than a point-of-view. So then there would be some finite number of these blank-slate points-of-view? Well, what would decide that number? What would even be the purpose of there being multiples, if they are all the exact same fundamental property? This thought leads me to conclude that the most logical truth would be that there aren’t multiples. There is only ONE consciousness. And that is mine. But it’s yours too! That’s the amazing part! Do you see where I’m going with this? We are all the exact same consciousness, just in different contexts. My consciousness doesn’t necessarily exist in my current context, just like time doesn’t necessarily exist at this present moment. My consciousness is the same one that exists eternally in all of us. Why, then, do I presently seem to find myself in this context? Maybe my consciousness sequentially experiences the lives of all existing creatures, and when it’s finished just starts over again; and I was next in the queue. Hard to say, really—I’m just conjecturing. I’m not omniscient, so I will bench that for now. But, that is my take on what consciousness is. You know how they say “all is one”, and “we are all connected”? I think this is what they were getting at.