What constitutes consciousness?

What qualities of humans can we attribute to our consciousness? Ability to plan for the future? Ability to process the information collected in the past? Feelings? Emotions?
These all still seem like the product of a very advanced brain. A network of neurons that are created to do these tasks. Efficiently if practiced.

What about curiosity? this seems like a quality that seems to be the opposite of the above ones which are much more mechanical in nature.
The need to know more has always been an intrinsic part of being human. Some seek to know more intellectually, some spiritually. But whatever the means, humans seek answers. And in this search, they make new connections in their brains which facilitates similar kind of behavior.

But is curiosity also a way to go after that dopamine hit that we are going to get?

What constitutes satisfaction? We know that the harder the task, the more satisfactory it feels to do it. Is it just a way for us to follow that chemical release of dopamine and other chemicals?

What about willpower then? Is it what makes humans human?

A lot of spiritual texts, teachings and experiences say that consciousness is nothing but the experience. That what we do, is a result of our brains and we are just witnesses of the occurrences.

Is it all our consciousness is then? What about free will? Enjoyment? Sadness? Excitement? What about those "Eureka!" moments?

But even if we are just witnesses, is it so bad? Is it not still worthwhile to enjoy what we enjoy? And also enjoy what we think we don't?

What do we chase? Are we just dogs running behind the cars? What do we do when we reach there? Enjoy the view? Wasn't the run enjoyable in itself?
...why?
...why Not?

tags: #consciousness #musings