~ Self-Consciousness, the Most Valuable Trait of Being Human ~

[Bill Wiltrack]

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The ability to see ourselves is THE most valuable asset of any human and certainly the most valuable asset of being a philosopher.




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Self-consciousness can be quite painful & surprising but that is the cost of inner reflection.


Do you practice self-consciousness?

Do you acknowledge self-consciousness as being sacred?


Have you ever experienced an epiphany based upon self-consciousness?



Do you consider self-consciousness as being the most important trait of being human?


If not- what trait or attribute do you consider more important?






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[Harbal]

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The ability to see ourselves is THE most valuable asset of any human and certainly the most valuable asset of being a philosopher.
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You obviously don't have the ability or you wouldn't call it an asset.

Do you practice self-consciousness?

No, I'm already better at it than I'd like to be, I don't need any practice.

Have you ever experienced an epiphany based upon self-consciousness?

Yes, it was through the gift of self-consciousness that I realised what an inept fool I am.

Do you consider self-consciousness as being the most important trait of being human?

Of course not, I hate being conscious of me.

If not- what trait or attribute do you consider more important?

I think the ability to make a proper cup of tea is more important.

[Trajk Logik]

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The ability to see ourselves is THE most valuable asset of any human and certainly the most valuable asset of being a philosopher.

Sure it is because our sense of vision provides us with more information about our environment than any of our other senses. A dog's nose, or a rabbit's ears, could probably provide as much detail, with their sense of vision providing less detail. A dog is self-aware via it's sense of smell. It can recognize it's own smell, but not recognize itself by sight, just as you can recognize yourself by sight, but not by smell. I'm sure the dog can recognize it's own voice, just as you can. So different animals are self-aware via different senses. The sense of vision isn't the only sense, nor the only sense that can evolve to provide extreme detail for an organism.

Self-consciousness can be quite painful & surprising but that is the cost of inner reflection.

Is self-consciousness the same as self-awareness? To be aware yourself via your senses is different than being aware of your own thoughts. Being aware of your own mental processes requires you to create a feedback loop of thinking about thinking. This is what differentiates humans from other animals.

Do you practice self-consciousness?

Sure. I think about my own mental processes.

When we aren't thinking about our own mental processes do we cease to be self-conscious? Say you're watching a really good movie. Your mind becomes the movie as you forget everything about your life and your responsibilities. Suddenly someone calls your name and asks if you are conscious. You snap out of your movie-trance and and then turn your mental processes back on itself. At that moment your are self-conscious whereas before your were only conscious of the movie.

Do you acknowledge self-consciousness as being sacred?

No. It's just another way of being aware on oneself.

Have you ever experienced an epiphany based upon self-consciousness?

Not that I can currently recall.

Do you consider self-consciousness as being the most important trait of being human?


If not- what trait or attribute do you consider more important?


[/size]



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Sure. It is one of the things that differentiates us from other animals. Walking upright is pretty important as we probably wouldn't have evolved our large brains if we didn't free up our hands for manipulating nature.

[Bill Wiltrack]

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.............................................................Rather sophomoric & pedestrian response...





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[Lacewing]

Rather sophomoric & pedestrian response...

And again with this... you ask a bunch of questions, and then dismiss the thoughtful responses. Ungrateful! Critical! Narrowly-focused! Are you not seeing YOUR self?

You want to get deep? Let's go!

WHAT IS YOUR NEED, BILL?

Why are life's answers not good enough?

[Bill Wiltrack]

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GLAD you asked.

Was just thinking about this today.

First off, YES, self-consciousness IS the most valuable trait of being human.

More specifically, our degree of possible self-consciousness is our most valuable trait of being human. Our ability, our physical ability, to obtain a high degree of self-consciousness

...and in a strange way, our ability to be self-conscious is the structure that makes life answers, ALL life answers, not good enough.



For me, my right-brain function is both my goal and my goad.


And really, though EVERYTHING is built upon the base of left-brain function, I measure my life success by my deep ventures into the right-brain function.



THANK YOU for this request.


I appreciate you giving me this important opportunity to express this essential part of me in who I am, in toto, as an active PhilosophNow Forum member.


This is essential to me and no one has afforded me this penultimate moment.








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[waechter418]

The use of Self-consciousness has probably been put into question since the beginnings of inner reflections - and publicly, since LaoTse and Buddha.
Some inner reflections may be "sacred" i.e. focused on Self-improvement, but most seem busy trying to establish a persona (Latin - actors mask) suitable to their image of the actors and audiences of their mirror-rooms - which is probably why the above mentioned gentlemen considered self-consciousness to be an affliction.
They must have meant its public versions - and anticipated those of Freud & Co - since "Self" itself is secret.
(did you mean that by sacred ?)




Greetings from the mountains!

[Bill Wiltrack]

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LOVE the way you articulated the relationship between inner reflections and our outer mask; Sometimes referred to as our egg-o or ego.


And yes, I consider that secret self as sacred.

Thank you for responding.






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