Human Consciousness: Self-awareness, Perception, and the Nature of the Mind

It lets us perceive and make sense of the world around us.

C. L. Nichols, Author
StoryAngles
Published in
3 min readMay 25, 2024

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What sets us apart from other living beings? It’s our consciousness. That awareness allows us to perceive the world around us, make decisions, and recognize our own existence. Consciousness has perplexed philosophers, scientists, and thinkers for centuries.

Consciousness is our subjective experience of the world. It allows us to be aware of our thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. This phenomenon isn’t easy to define. It’s what makes us human and sets us apart from other animals.

Self-awareness is the ability to recognize and understand our own thoughts, emotions, and actions. It lets us to reflect on our experiences and learn from them. It’s what makes us introspective and causes us to grow as individuals.

Perception is how we interpret and make sense of the world. Our senses — sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing — provide us with information about our environment. Our brain then processes this information and creates a perception of the world.

The nature of the mind is a topic that has fascinated philosophers and scientists for centuries. Is the mind separate from the body? Are our thoughts and feelings just the…

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