1.2 Consciousness as a Phenomenon: Subjective Experience vs.

Consciousness vs Brain

Based entirely on Part One of Thomas Campbell’s My Big TOE, according to the official summary published on his website.

Consciousness — Reality Layers (Q7–Q9)

Consciousness and the Brain

In traditional science, consciousness is often described as a byproduct of the brain — a sort of “bonus feature” that pops up when neurons fire in just the right way.

But other approaches — like My Big TOE — flip that idea on its head:
The brain doesn’t produce consciousness.
It appears inside a reality that is already based in consciousness.

Eastern Traditions

In many Eastern traditions, consciousness is not located “in” the brain. Instead, it’s seen as a fundamental quality of existence, like water is to a fish: ever-present, taken for granted — but essential.

The Rope That Looked Like a Snake

A man is walking down a forest path at dusk. Suddenly, he freezes: just ahead, he sees a coiled snake. He gasps. His heart races.

But as he steps closer… it turns out to be just a rope!
There was never a snake. His mind projected something scary onto something harmless.

The mind interprets reality. But something deeper notices those interpretations. And you might be asking…

🔀 Question 7: What makes an experience feel “real”?

A) Reality is only what I can perceive with my senses. If I can touch it, smell it, see it — it exists.
B) Reality is what’s still there even when I stop looking.
C) Reality is what I experience, even in dreams. What I feel as true.
D) Reality is not only what appears outside, but also what I recognize as true from within.

Two People, Two Realities

You’re in your kitchen. You’re holding a warm mug. You feel the heat on your palm. The aroma wafts up. The coffee’s surface trembles ever so slightly.

Your friend walks in, sees the same mug, and wrinkles her nose. “Ugh, I hate that brand. It reminds me of my ex.”

Same mug. Same stimuli. Two realities.

And then… it hits you: reality isn’t just what’s out there — it’s also how we experience it.

Layers of Reality

Think of reality as having three layers:

Level What it includes Example (coffee cup)
Sensory What your body perceives Heat, aroma, color
Mental What your mind interprets or remembers “I like this,” “It’s bitter,” “It reminds me of…”
Conscious What you notice without getting involved “I’m aware of the smell and my thoughts about it.”

🔀 Question 8: Which level of reality is the most “authentic”?

A) The sensory — without a body, I couldn’t perceive anything.
B) The mental — because we interpret everything anyway.
C) The conscious — because I can observe both the senses and the mind without being either.
D) They all are, but only the conscious layer lets me choose how I relate to what I experience.

An Unexpected Scenario

You wake up from a vivid dream. In it, there was a kitchen, a cup, a conversation… emotions, too. It all felt real. For a moment, you were that dream version of you.

Then you open your eyes. Different room. Different mug. But the same question returns…

🔀 Question 9: How do you define reality after waking from a dream?

A) Reality is what happens every day — what we all share.
B) Reality is what I can verify and others also perceive.
C) Reality is the conscious experience I’m having right now.
D) Maybe there’s not just one reality, but different layers of experience.