Consciousness and self-awareness are terms, widelyUsed in a variety of sciences, in particular, in psychology, philosophy, sociology. Their meaning is rather vague and depends on each specific case. Let's try to formulate what these terms mean. Consciousness is the quality of every intelligent person, which can be understood as isolation, opposition to the outside world. That is, the personality separates and separates itself from all the surrounding reality. Consciousness is the person's own "I". This includes sensory sensations, thinking, and emotions.
Consciousness and self-awareness are two parts of onewhole, if it concerns modern man. Let's look deep into the story. Previously, primitive people had only consciousness, and it developed in stages. Initially, the personality began to feel itself only at the physical level. The understanding of the boundaries of one's own body and the environment came. Then the man began to explore the world around him. His consciousness was gradually filled with new information and, therefore, developed. After this, a man learned to reason, that is, to find differences, similarities, distinctive features of the subjects he studied.
Consciousness, self-awareness and personality as phenomenaappeared a little later. It is worth noting that these qualities have developed and perfected over the centuries. Self-consciousness is the relationship of the "I" to the "I". To look more closely at this formulation is easiest in the historical example. Consciousness and self-awareness of personality, as mentioned earlier, did not appear immediately. Initially, the human rule of the Ego, that is, the instincts of reproduction, self-preservation, struggle for females and so on. To rise above them personality has helped self-consciousness, which is a kind of commander, judge and critic in one person.
The emergence of this quality has contributed,no matter how surprising it may sound, the emergence of a hierarchy within human communities. Each leader was dominated by a leader who gave directions, criticized and praised. The obeying people had nothing to do but obey orders. So they rose above their instincts. They did not do what the Ego orders them, but what the leader needs and the whole group of people. This is a visual demonstration of how self-awareness works not inside a person, but in the external world. Later, the individual began to appear his personal, internal "commander", which allowed to rise above the fleeting desires, instincts and other factors hampering development.
Consciousness and self-consciousness of modern manalso appears not immediately, but in stages. The little child is gradually beginning to realize himself. Parents, educators and teachers of the baby act as commanders. With their help, the child has self-consciousness, which replaces the outer overlords with the inner ones.
Do all modern people have this importantquality? Unfortunately, not at all. Residents of undeveloped countries and certain groups of citizens from developed countries still live by the call of their Ego. However, without self-consciousness it is impossible to set and achieve your goals, to find a common language with surrounding people, to achieve success. This quality helps to make your life the way a person wants to see it. No doubt, all successful, great and prosperous people possessed self-consciousness. Without this quality, the development of intelligence is also impossible.
Thus, consciousness and self-awareness arethe most important components of modern personality. These qualities help to gain complete freedom, which, otherwise, would be limited by the desires of the ego. Self-consciousness is, in its own way, the antipode of animality and a necessary element for achieving the "maturity" of all mankind.
