A working definition of 'Consciousness'! My philosophical viewpoint!

As I watch our internet world and read my newspapers, I am confronted with the many definitions and descriptions of this concept called 'consciousness'. Scientists and philosophers, differ on what this concept defines and describes. It's very confusing. I agree that any working definition is less than absolute. Consciousness and other mental phenomena are non-observable, invisible, and outside the normal study within our institutions of Higher Learning. But, my working definition (as a philosopher) is the following:

Consciousness: the awareness of a SUBJECTIVE person (self) who is SEPARATE and distinct from that which is OBSERVED and that which is PERCEIVED as reality. 

My sense is that consciousness is beyond the model of science as it can not be observed and/or discovered within our spacetime reality. But my sense is also that my BRAIN is not the origin of this phenomena. My brain is part of matter/science and is observable and within the realm of the material. Consciousness is outside of this material realm. It's non-physical, invisible, and separate (as an experience of self).

Descartes, this philosopher, had it mostly correct IMO in that he separated the mind from the brain. Mental phenomena, he proposed, is beyond the study of science (other than as a separate phenomena that affects science). Descartes had a Dualist philosophy and most of my neuroscience friends want to study consciousness as an emergent result from my brain. This is not a valid view IMO as my brain (unaided by consciousness is not functional). The reality for me is that consciousness is needed so as to ACTIVATE my electrical activity within my brain. In other words, consciousness is a priori. 

Consciousness does not emerge from my brain, but my brain needs my consciousness so as to be activated and functional. This means that consciousness must be SEPARATE from my brain (just as my SELF is separate from my brain). I am a SUBJECT (subjective self/person) at the core. My awareness of my self requires that I view myself as SEPARATE from that which I observe and perceive. All my mental life derives from my consciousness/mind. I view myself as separate and distinct from that which I observe in nature. Also, my various experiences on this planet are within my inner self (awareness/memory).

To conclude, consciousness is mostly a spiritual concept which relates to one's SELF (as a subjective/separate individual). Read my definition above a few times to get the jest of my philosophy. I must view myself as separate and distinct in order to observe and perceive reality. This spiritual view of reality derives from Socrates and Plato (mostly). These philosophers viewed the HIGHER FORMS (ideas) as derived from the spiritual realm. Forms were separate from that which is material. This is also my perception.

I am: Donald B. Swenson, Economist/Philosopher, http://kingdomecon.wordpress.com. Also, donaldswenson.blogspot.com.