Consciousness is your awareness of yourself and of all things around you. The study of consciousness is a complex subject that many people have differing views on. Consciousness involves both religion and science.
Science puts consciousness as a study that is materialistic. In comparison, religion emphasizes the spiritual and mental aspects of consciousness. This is because consciousness is related to the mind and the body.
This field of study includes psychology, sociology, philosophy, biology, cognitive science, and neuroscience. Although there is no single agreed view on consciousness, it has great interest.
Is Psychology The Study Of Consciousness?
Consciousness is one topic in the field of psychology. It defines consciousness as the awareness of internal and external stimuli.
Internal stimuli are all your feelings, such as hunger, tiredness, and happiness. External stimuli are the surroundings, such as sounds and temperature.
Psychology further divides consciousness into three parts. They are:
- Conscious
- Unconscious
- Preconscious
This is known as the psychoanalytic theory. But modern psychology studies have now expanded to include many other attributes to our understanding of our consciousness.
Is Intelligence A Consciousness?
Intelligence and consciousness are two separate entities. Intelligence can be defined as the ability to do a task. Consciousness refers to having an awareness of oneself.
It has been argued that you can be intelligent and not have a consciousness. This is evident in the areas of Artificial Intelligence. For example, you have robots that are extremely intelligent.
They are able to perform tasks and even make decisions independently from humans. But do they possess consciousness, or are they simply following a defined set of codes? There is still a lot more to be learned about intelligence and consciousness.
Is Consciousness The Brain?
For consciousness to exist, we must be awake and aware. That means our brain has to be functioning. Each part of the brain is responsible for making us conscious.
The brain’s cerebral cortex is believed to be the “seat of consciousness .” When you are conscious of something, your brain is busy processing the necessary information.
But if it is something you are unaware of doing consciously, then the brain is simply controlling your reaction and your movement. So you cannot explain how you are able to do a task without actively thinking about it.
For now, many believe that consciousness is connected to the brain. We have to be alive to have consciousness.
Can Consciousness Exist Without A Brain?
It is widely believed that the mind and the consciousness exist only as long as the brain is functional. When the brain ceases, so does consciousness. The interactions between the neurons in the brain give rise to consciousness.
But there is another view that consciousness can exist independently from the brain. Certain aspects point to the fact that consciousness can transcend the physical body. There does not have to be any brain activity for consciousness to be expressed.
What Is The Science Of Consciousness Called?
The science of consciousness is most often referred to as neuroscience. This is because consciousness is primarily linked to the processes of the brain. Neuroscience studies human behavior, consciousness, and memory.
Neuroscience has proven that neurons are essential to consciousness. But there is no definite method in which to measure consciousness. There is much more to be learned about the brain and how it relates to our being conscious.
Final Thoughts on What Is The Study Of Consciousness
The study of consciousness is an interesting and intriguing field. It comes under various topics and covers a variety of theories. There is a lot to be explored on how the brain is structured when it comes to consciousness.
When it comes to defining consciousness, it is relatively straightforward. But the deeper we delve into the subject, the more complex it becomes. We may think we are aware of ourselves and therefore conscious, but facts can prove that is not always true.