Which of the following is the most core/foundational notion in human consciousness?

[Mechanicalsalvation]

While baby is human and every human must have been a baby I wouldnt take it as a typical representative of core human existence just becouse babies do not actively participate in creating of what human stands for - well much less than ants do in respect to their own existence...

 

[Birdjaguar]

^Distinctness (even in sense of the person being distinct from the environment) seems to be not that existent in toddlers, though. And afaik the first realisations of themselves as distinct happen after they have developed some lingual skills and are introduced to what the mirror is as well.

Moreover a toddler is mostly immobile in his cradle/similar small environment, and the external world may appear much like an extension of his/her own being. Iirc i recall (very vaguely of course) how i was looking (less than 1 year old obviously) at the living room behind the wooden protective bars of my toddler-space, and being of the impression that the room was also myself (or similar).

But change is picked up even by non-sentient beings. It is unlikely an ant is sentient (as in self-aware), but it is very obvious it will react if you try to hunt it down or pester it with some object.

A sense of separateness (from ones surroundings) happens upon birth. Food comes from somewhere else. Mom and dad come and go. The toddler responds to those arrivals and departures. To detect change, in one's environment, a sense of self is needed. Whether an ant is sentient is a different question. To be able to respond to any change in one's surroundings, there must be some sense of separation even if the sense is not fully understood. If a cooking smell brings about feeling hungry, then the brain is aware enough to sense the change in the environment.

Being aware that you are aware/different/separate is a much more sophisticated level of consciousness.

 

[Kyriakos]

A sense of separateness (from ones surroundings) happens upon birth. Food comes from somewhere else. Mom and dad come and go. The toddler responds to those arrivals and departures. To detect change, in one's environment, a sense of self is needed. Whether an ant is sentient is a different question. To be able to respond to any change in one's surroundings, there must be some sense of separation even if the sense is not fully understood. If a cooking smell brings about feeling hungry, then the brain is aware enough to sense the change in the environment.

Being aware that you are aware/different/separate is a much more sophisticated level of consciousness.

I meant that (IIRC) my impression/vague memory now, as a toddler, was that those things were part of me anyway, much like emotional states come and go but they are all yours.

It makes sense as a defensive mechanism too, eg "i will starve if they don't bring me food, but if bringing me food is triggered by myself then i won't starve" etc.

 

[Mouthwash]

Monads.

 

[Aleksey_aka_al]

Change, of course. You can't think or do anything without feeling time.

Being is too verbal. First, you need to have a concept of non-existence. Second, you need to discern between yourself and the rest (if it is your being). And you can't feel being without feeling the change.

 

[Perfection]

suck boob get food

 

[Narz]

None of that philosophical gobbledegook, the most important aspect of human consciousness is imgaination. That's what separates us from the other creatures & allows us to build great things (and terrible things).

 

[Narz]

suck boob get food

All mammals do that.

ability to do art

Most people are not artists, art is cute but its just a tangent.