Mindfulness

Awareness is a relative concept . Animals may be partially aware ^[2] , subconsciously aware or not at all aware of events . Awareness can be directed to internal states, such as inner instinct ( intuition ) or sensory perception of external events.

Also, to distinguish the degree of sensory perception, the word “awareness” is used.

The nervous system, which regulates the level of attention, serves to weaken it in highly developed animals, since the central and peripheral nervous systems provide more information than the part of the brain responsible for cognitive abilities can process. Without a mind suppression system, the brain can perceive much more information in the so-called state of expanded consciousness.

Psychotherapy

Awareness is a basic concept in the theory and practice of gestalt therapy . The concept of awareness, in the sense in which it is used by gestalt therapists, is closely related to the concept of intentionality developed by phenomenology . The founder of gestalt therapy, F. Perls , argued that responsibility can be understood as responsive ability , that is, “the ability to respond, think, react, show emotions in a certain situation” ^[3] . His student, K. Naranjo , believed that the triad of the fundamental principles of gestalt therapy is "relevance - awareness - responsibility" ^[4] . Also, it is believed that the ability to be in the present is a necessary condition for true awareness ^[5] .

Basic awareness of the internal and external world by a person occurs in the brain stem. Björn Merker ^[6] , an independent neurologist in Stockholm (Sweden), argues that the brain stem supports elementary forms of consciousness in children with hydroencephalitis. Higher forms of awareness, including self-awareness, require the work of the cerebral cortex ^[7] . But for the “primary consciousness” or “basic awareness” - as the ability to interpret the sensations emanating from the environment in accordance with the immediate goals and feelings in order to control the behavior - the brain stem, which is not only in humans, but also in most vertebrates. Psychologist Carroll Isard emphasizes that such forms of primary consciousness consist of the ability to produce emotions and be aware of the presence of someone else in the environment. They do not include the opportunity to talk about one's own experience. In the same way, people are aware of feelings that they cannot name or describe. This phenomenon is especially characteristic for children who have not yet learned to speak. In accordance with this discovery, the description of stroke as a deficit in the activity of the cerebral cortex is faced with serious contradictions.

A popular concept of consciousness involves the phenomenon of self- awareness or self-awareness . Attempts to describe consciousness in neurological terms focus on describing nerve cells in the brain that create awareness of qualia produced by other nerve cells.

Self-awareness was once a hallmark of the human race. It was believed that only people are able to reflect on themselves. We assumed that other beings had such simple brains that self-contemplation could not be their function. They did not have an inner life, only an outer one.

Now we know that some monkeys, elephants, magpies (cousins ​​of clever crows and ravens) and, possibly, dolphins can think about themselves. This tells us that they recognize themselves in the mirror. This does not necessarily mean that these animals can identify their emotions. They can simply experience them, as babies do, when they experience mood changes that can be compared to changing weathers.

Famous scientists signed a declaration that animals have consciousness

About animal consciousness

Descartes Awareness

One of the first R. Descartes began to develop the topic of the scientific study of consciousness. He formulated the thesis “I think, therefore, I exist” ( lat. Cogito ergo sum ). By thinking ( cogito - literally, “I am aware”), Descartes understood everything that is done consciously ^[8] . For him, awareness is a criterion for distinguishing mental processes from non-mental, physiological, and bodily ones ^[8] . However, Descartes outlined the path of empirical study of mental processes - the path of direct self-observation ( introspection ), later implemented by the founder of experimental psychology Wilhelm Wundt .

Outside of neurological biology, Umberto Maturana and Francisco Varela developed the "theory of Santiago," which states:

“Living systems are cognitive systems, and the process of life is a process of cognition. This statement is valid for organisms, both with and without the nervous system ” ^[9] .

This theory suggests that cognition is a process inherent in the organic standard of living in general, which we usually do not take into account. Speaking about the relationship of such concepts as awareness, cognition and consciousness, this theory raises an interesting perspective from the point of view of the dialogue between philosophy and science of awareness and the theory of living systems.

Awareness is a basic concept in the theory and practice of Gestalt therapy .

“Awareness” also refers to general knowledge and understanding on social, scientific or political issues. From here comes the frequent use of the word “awareness” in terms of raising awareness. For example, in the fight against AIDS or intercultural communication.

Hidden Awareness

Hidden awareness is knowing about something without understanding it. For example, some patients with specific injuries to the cerebral cortex cannot say if the pencil is in a vertical or horizontal position. And yet they are able to grab a pencil using the correct position of the hand and wrist. This experience shows that some of the knowledge that the brain possesses passes through channels alternative to conscious intent.