One of the finer points about being in the final lap there's no need to tread lightly on subjects such as the Definition of Consciousness. A simple definition goes something like: "Aware of self and one's surroundings." Pretty much a Being in Time and Place. There's an Australian who addresses consciousness by considering a definition of consciousness in terms of two problems. Easy Problems and The Hard Problem. The Easy Problems can theoretically be solved by using science. These Easy Problems include functional aspects and how they work, such as being able to react to the environment, an exploration of cognitive systems, ability to control behavior. You know, simple stuff that so many of us struggle with. The Hard Problem is an explanation for the subjective experience of, for example, eating a hard boiled egg, or deciding to acquire a red beaky cap. Our Australian suggests there is no scientific answer to the Hard Problem.
