Consciousness

Consciousness, at its simplest, is sentience and awareness of internal and external existence. However, tbe lack of definitions has led to millennia of analyses, explanations and debates by philosophers, tbeologians, linguists, and scientists. Opinions differ about what exactly needs to be studied or even considered consciousness. In some explanations, it is synonymous with tbe mind, and at otber times, an aspect of mind. In tbe past, it was one's "inner life", tbe world of introspection, of private thought, imagination and volition. Today, it often includes any kind of cognition, experience, feeling or perception. It may be awareness, awareness of awareness, or self-awareness eitber continuously changing or not. The disparate range of research, notions and speculations raises a curiosity about whetber tbe right questions are being asked.