I have been thinking a lot lately about the hard problem, consciousness. I have been reading about it, watching videos, and listening to podcasts. Recently, I listened to a podcast with Annaka Harris and her husband, Sam Harris. First off, I didn’t know they were married. That was a pleasant surprise. I had previously watched a video with her on Big Think where she talked about consciousness as a “felt” experience. This has given me a pause. I had always thought of consciousness as an “awareness” of experience. I decided to do a little research. Turns out we were both right, as the following explanation describes it.

Consciousness is both felt and an awareness, depending on how you approach it.

Felt Consciousness (Qualia)

From a subjective, first-person perspective, consciousness is felt—we experience emotions, sensations, and thoughts directly. This is what philosophers call qualia, the raw, subjective feel of experience (e.g., the redness of red, the warmth of sunlight, the taste of coffee). This aspect of consciousness is what makes it deeply personal and difficult to explain purely in physical terms.

Consciousness as Awareness

On the other hand, consciousness is also an awareness, meaning it involves cognition, perception, and the ability to recognize oneself and the environment. This definition aligns with how many neuroscientists and cognitive scientists approach consciousness—as a state of being aware of internal and external experiences. This awareness allows us to think, reflect, and make decisions based on our perceptions.

Blending the Two

While consciousness involves feeling (subjective experience) and awareness (cognitive recognition), the two are deeply intertwined. Some theories suggest that the ability to reflect on our own experiences (metacognition) gives rise to our rich inner life. Others argue that raw feeling, without structured awareness, is still a form of consciousness (as seen in dreams or deep emotions).

So, in essence, consciousness is both felt experience and awareness—two sides of the same phenomenon.