I. The Power of a Concept "This process of attending only to the form of the thing or situation, and conveying this abstracted form ... becomes increasingly important when we pass from mere common sense to scientific thinking. Such abstracted forms are our [1]scientific concepts[2]. ... a few [3]powerful concepts[4] can systematize, or perhaps revolutionize, a whole field of observation, experiment, and hypothesis called "a science." Susan K. Langer Symbolic Logic

She then goes on to consider the concept of "oscillation" as a powerful concept: "Consider, for instance, how many motions follow the general pattern called "oscillation". The swing of the pendulum, the swaying of a skyscraper, the vibration of a vibrating string over which the bow is passing ... all these are examples of the type-form called "oscillation". Now, if we were to define this type-form, we would omit all reference to skyscrapers, pendulums, and vibrating strings, and describe it, probably as "rhythmic motion to and fro" (i.e., as a "sort of motion") ... Such an abstracted form is called a concept. From our concrete experiences we form the [5]concept of "oscillation[6]." II. Consciousness

I think "consciousness" needs to become a powerful concept capable of doing the above for the science, by way of becoming a consensus belief in the field. How would consciousness become a powerful concept according to Langer? Well, first we must define it as a sort of something, as above. The genus it's a sort of is "mental faculties" according to http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/consciousness .

So, consider, for instance now, how many mental faculties follow the general pattern called "consciousness", as done above. Well the definition says: con·scious·ness  �mental faculties as characterized by thought, feelings, and volition. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/consciousness

However, logically feelings and volition belong to the same group, we will just call it feeling, and it is accepted in the AI field the mental faculty characterized by perception should also be in this definition.

Thus we get: con·scious·ness  �mental faculties as characterized by thought, feeling, and perception. adapted from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/consciousness Next, Langer would have us define this concept by omitting all references to perceptions, thoughts, and feelings.

What do they have in common, as mental faculties? Here's mine. Consciousness - a sort of mental faculty differentiated by "subjective awareness."

Examples would then include perception, thinking and feeling.

If this is indeed a powerful concept, it can "systematize, or perhaps revolutionize, a whole field of observation, experiment, and hypothesis called "a science", specifically the science of Machine Consciousness. To separate it from the other consciousness theories on canonizer.com, I will call it Triadic Consciousness Theory. TrueAndroids http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/consciousness (Ken Long 2010)