Con"scious*ness (?), n.
1. The state of being conscious; knowledge of one's own existence, condition,
sensations, mental operations, acts, etc.
Consciousness is thus, on the one hand,
the recognition by the mind or "ego" of its acts and affections; -- in other words, the self-affirmation that certain modifications are known by me, and that these modifications are mine.
Sir W. Hamilton. 2.
Immediate knowledge or perception of the presence of any object, state, or sensation. See the Note
under Attention. Annihilate the consciousness of the object, you annihilate the consciousness
of the operation.
Sir W. Hamilton. And, when the
steam
Which overflowed the soul had
passed away,
A consciousness remained that it had left.
. . . images and precious thoughts
That shall not die, and can not be destroyed.
Wordsworth. The
consciousness of
wrong brought with it the consciousness of weakness.
Froude.
3. Feeling, persuasion, or expectation; esp., inward
sense of guilt or innocence. [R.]
An honest mind is not in the power
of a dishonest: to break its peace there must be some
guilt or consciousness.
Pope.
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