Consciousness is an extraordinarily complex phenomenon, unique to species that possess advanced cognitive abilities. It can be defined as the unified sense of awareness and experience of the self, embodied in the world and informed by thoughts and feelings, as they arise in the present moment. Consciousness is both a subjective, inner state and an outwardly expressed set of behaviours. It takes form through the synthesis of diverse neurobiological, psychological and cultural processes, and can be considered in relation to broader evolutionary and phenomenological contexts.

See also: hemisphere, left brain, right brain, reality, mind, brain