Consciousness, Consciousness Of, and the Organism

In my essay, 'The Primacy of Consciousness', I argue that whatever world or potential material reality lies beyond its appearance in consciousness is an inferred reality. Both science and common sense assume that this reality does exist. However, the fact that it cannot be proven either through direct experience or through science raises the question, 'What can we be sure of?'. In the essay I argue that we can be sure of our direct experience, whether the content of that experience turns out to be valid or illusory. Direct experience, however unintelligible, is happening, therefore it exists and, by extension, therefore there is existence. Furthermore, this existence is known. Being known, there must be a knowing consciousness, therefore there is consciousness. This consciousness is not itself perceivable but is inferred from the fact of experience. This inference is not based on perception the way, for example, a fire is inferred from the perception of smoke. In other words, it is not a posteriori. Rather, it is an a priori inference based on the inconceivability, in the absence of consciousness, of either experience or knowledge. From this observation, I assert the primacy of consciousness over matter, in that matter may or may not exist, whereas consciousness is certain. Now, the exact nature of consciousness remains to be established. Questions such as: ' Is consciousness a form of energy?', 'Can consciousness exist in the absence of matter?', 'Does consciousness persist after the death of the body?', etc. -- all of these are subjects for further inquiry.