Perhaps, consciousness is a substance {substance theories of mind}. Mind does not "look at" sense qualities but "is" sense qualities.
non-physical
Perhaps, consciousness is special non-physical substance, such as soul, Ideal, or Form. New substances can explain complex or mysterious phenomena by having needed properties. For example, people noticed that the main difference between living and non-living things was that living things move parts and bodies, so they imagind a new substance, élan vital, that can animate non-living things. People experienced sense qualities and noticed that only humans can reason, have moral feelings, use language, and/or have subjective experiences. Perhaps, a new substance, soul or conscience, can inhabit body and provide it with consciousness. Non-physical substance must work using non-biological, non-chemical, and non-physical processes. People can learn nothing more about them and cannot test them, so they do not provide satisfactory explanations.
physical
Perhaps, consciousness is a new physical substance type. New substances can explain complex or mysterious phenomena by having needed properties. New physical substance types can work through either ordinary biological, chemical, and physical processes or new biological, chemical, and physical processes. For example, people felt warmth and noticed that it flows from cooler object to warmer object, so they imagined a new substance, phlogiston, that can flow. People sleep and notice that people become sleepy, so they imagined a new chemical, the dormant principle, that can induce sleep when released in brain. Invented physical substances include electrons, quarks, and Higgs particles. For physical substances, experiments can reveal physical, chemical, and biological properties.
Consciousness>Consciousness>Mental Theories
1-Consciousness-Mental Theories
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Date Modified: 2022.0224