Hahaha, what if we said subconsciousness? That might keep us from the self awareness thing.
But it strikes me that this is a seriously deep thing we are discussing. I mean Bushwhacker is right. What the hell is consciousness or subconsciousness or whatever it is I am trying to say? Is it the ability to act? Re-act? Communicate? Think? Does the concept even make sense in a scientific way?
Geoff Dann, "Is this not a similar idea to how we monitor brain activity in humans, or indeed animals?" was in relation to your comment about whether or not it was science, not about consciousness. In relation to your comment that we know how to use the word, I think I have just proven that I don't, haha.