Consciousness

What is consciousness?  Many philosophers have pondered this question for centuries.  Is consciousness a inheret, biological function?  Or is it an intentional concept that we use to think and percieve?  Consciousness is most easily defined as working memory and awareness.  One view of the the conscience is the intentional view, which states that the conscience is the ability to represent other states of affairs.  The intentional view is based on concept and what we supposedly understand.  Another view is the phenominal view, which views conscience as the qualitative aspect of our subjective feelings.  Phenominality is based in perceptions, such as feelings and taste.  One could also consider conscience from the Functionalist point of view.  Functionalism states that everything, including consciousness, is a mental state defined by biological functions.  I personally find the phenominal point of view to be the most interesting.  

Mentalism vs. Materialism

In the world of philosophy, there are two sides who theorize of what we call reality.  There are the Mentalists who view the world through an Idealist point of view.  They view everything as a subjective experience, in other words, to be is to be percieved.  According to mentalists, nothing is concrete, the things we touch, see, smell, taste, and hear are nothing more than sensations.  Since they are nothing more than percieved sensations, it is impossible to conclude that something truly exists.  Mentalists also view the mind as its own entity, operating in ways that are impossible for humans to understand.  Then there are the Materialists, who view everything that can be sensed is reality.  Materialists don't believe in supernatural forces or mysterious entities.  They view the mind as an organ that functions as a product of the enviroment.  They believe that reality is constant and does not change according to people's perceptions.  So when it comes down to it, both sides have good cases.  Personally, I find myself siding with the Mentalist point of view, just because I like the idea of the supernatural. 

Reality

What is reality?  That has been the big question philosiphers have been asking for centuries.  Is reality a constant, unwavering thing? Is it a variable, changing into what the individual perceives it to be? Pherhaps it may be both of these things.  Maybe reality is a constant for us, but a variable to some higher power.  Maybe God changes our reality to suit whatever he sees fit.  Those who believe in the idea of realism, the idea that reality remains and never falters to anyone, make reality concrete and easier to grasp.  Those who believe in idealism, the idea that reality is only what we percieve, make reality more flexible.  Then there are the skeptics, those who question the actual existence of reality.  My view on reality is that one should not dwell to long trying to figure out what it is, lest they drive themselves mad.  Take a cue from the Beatles and "Let It Be".