... consciousness is. On these occasions we are aware not just of ourselves and of the world but also our place in it. This self-awareness is perhaps the most crucial part of human consciousness, since if we are aware of ourselves then we can be aware of other minds. This is one way that our consciousness can reach out and effect other individuals. Insight: Conscious acts can incorporate an understanding of cause and effect, for example fashioning a tool to solve a problem requires an understanding of 'how things work'. This can include knowledge of object properties (including object permanence), of relationships between objects, how to achieve modifications and how things are constructed. Conscious animals show an understanding of other people. We assume that other individuals, like ourselves, are animate causal agents with minds, and treat them as having mental states - beliefs, feelings, intentions, and so on. Furthermore this 'works' in ...

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