The Task of Theological Humanism
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Reflective goods require consciousness. We can reflect on them as good or beautiful, for example, only if we are conscious of Modeling Consciousnessexperience things, and we can
them. Yet, what universe? These questions point to a genuine mystery for human beings. Nothing is more familiar to us than our own consciousness, yet nothing is more elusive to thought.is consciousness, and how does it arise within the material
In its broadest sense, consciousness “includes important distinctions must be made, however, among three levels of consciousness which the human mind traverses as a “thing-in-between” Levels of Consciousnessall experiences.”^16 Some
(chapter 1). Most basically, some state of affairs – a physical object or a mental state – and as such is interdependent with that reality (“There is a painting over there” or “my seeing a painting over there”). Call this “spontaneous awareness.” Second, immediate consciousness is direct acquaintance with
reflective consciousnessimmediate consciousness and its many relations (“I know that I see a paint-ing over there – a painting of a man and a woman standing by an ancient tree, contemplating the moon; I choose to call it beautiful”). arises when consciousness reflects on the contents of (^17) This is the
level of conscious choice. Third, on reflective consciousness in its complexity and internalized otherness (“I call this painting beautiful, but I mean that it stops me in my tracks, its otherness makes me feel ‘other.’ I am freely responding to an image, freely reflexive consciousness advances by reflecting
constructed by the artist, of two people contemplating the enormity of death”). This level is marked by integrative freedom – always, of course, within the limits of human finitude.These forms of consciousness are progressive, but also interactive. In each
case, consciousness is embodied in a living creature with senses and feelings, the capacities to act and to speak with and for others. Interestingly, each form of consciousness adds more complexity and richness in engaging the world that consciousness illuminates. With each new layer of consciousness,
awareness also increases of its embodiment in a multi-dimensional matrix of sustaining relations. These relations include what we have called basic or natural goods in immediate consciousness, social and reflective goods through reflective consciousness, and the spiritual good of respecting and