What is the nature of consciousness?

I have been thinking about this a lot lately. What exactly is consciousness? Is it:

1. Caused by the brain. When the brain dies, consciousness dies. Our Self is a byproduct of a body part (the brain) and without it we don't exist. Every new brain will make a brand new "person"

2. Caused by the soul. When the brain dies it leaves the body and goes to somewhere like Heaven or Hell

3. Energy that just gets recycled in a new body after the old one is used up.

What do you all think? Option 1 is really depressing and scary to me. I prefer 2 or 3, but it's really not what I prefer that makes the reality of consciousness what it is...or does it?

I am so confused. I don't know why I'm spending so much time pondering these issues. I know people who have never had a thought like this in their lives and I think ignorance must be bliss...I get tired of wondering about existence but just can't help it.

i personaly would like to think that when we die we just start again in a new body but dont remeber anything about our previous existance
i would say number 1 makes the most sense to me even as depresing as it is

What is the nature of consciousness?
The oposite of unconsciousness.

ya, option one makes sense
i read in scientific american that conciousness is just one state of many, "sober" being
the constant interactions of different brain wave patterns creating a constant single state
of conciousness whereas when certain chemicals are introduced the brainwave patterns
react and conciousness is altered to a different state
when you are anaesthesized, your brain wave patterns are disrupted thus disrupting conciousness and you are unable to feel pain

The Eight Circuits of Consciousness

8 circuits of consciousness by timmothy leary

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Originally Posted by ADM

The Eight Circuits of Consciousness

8 circuits of consciousness by timmothy leary

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Man... this article is EXCELLENT!!!:clap: I did read it some time ago, and since then i had a far greater understanding of the human nature, relationships, desires, thoughts, and everything else.
I absolutely DO recommend this great article for anyone interested in learn more about our mind and how it works.
(Please note that it was written some decades ago, so some things written there are out-of-date, but its essence remains very right and useful)

To the OP: I think what we usually call "consciousness" is an interaction between what our brain percieves from the outside world through the senses and what we could call our "soul", an immaterial, nonphysical "thing" that we humans have (or are).
Like... our brain would be a device which allows our immaterial "soul" to recieve information from the outside world, as well as act upon this world.
So, a brain without a soul would be only a robot without ability of thinking, only able to do what it was programmed through conditioning.
And a soul without a brain would be only a soul like we usually understand it, without the ability to act upon the physical world (cause it would pass "through" it, like the ghosts).

Anyway... i think very good that you spend your time thinking about such great issues... ignorance is a bless only to the ignorants... yet knowledge is power. IMHO, thinking about the nature of the consciousness is far more useful to you than thinking about the last gossip about some neighbour of you... ;)

EDIT:1700th post! (Again... i think they deleted some of my posts...)

Awesome...I am going to read the article, I just bookmarked it to come back to when I am ready to read.

Coelho, I really liked your post. It felt "right" for me if that makes sense. Thank you for being so complementary...it is nice to know someone thinks these are important matters. My friends and family don't think much about these things, they think I'm quite kooky most of the time.

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Originally Posted by TokinChick

My friends and family don't think much about these things, they think I'm quite kooky most of the time.

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Mine think exactly the same about me... so i understand very well how you feel... :):madnoel:

I think in my own world, too, TokinChick. Or, maybe I just feel isolated because of my girlfriend's hatred towards learning.

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Originally Posted by killerweed420

What is the nature of consciousness?
The oposite of unconsciousness.

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Here's the right answer. It best fits the #2 choice.

I know what you mean, i have thought about that alot myself, and of course being an atheist it makes sense that Option1 is the one, that might scare some, but not me because as long as you live life to the full then death should not be your enermy, but your friend that you welcome when it is time.
however, i do love thinking about the other options as they inrigue me.
love n stuff:hippy: