Consciousness as a Binary State

• John Cyril defines consciousness as subjective states of awareness or sentience that begin when we wake up and end when we fall asleep, enter a coma, or die.
• Implicit in this definition is the concept of consciousness as a binary state: either on or off.
• This contrasts with a more nuanced view of consciousness as having varying degrees or levels of awareness.
• The "what it's like" aspect of experience, introduced by Tom Nagel, explores the subjective and qualitative nature of conscious experiences like seeing colors or tasting flavors.