I believe consciousness to mean a state of awareness of one’s surroundings and space in time, along with the ability to respond to your surroundings. Someone who is clinically brain dead in a hospital would be considered in a state of unconsciousness. This particular individual would lack the ability to engage from a cognitive sense with outward stimuli. There is even contention to if the ability to exhibit consciousness is a tenet for living life with meaning and purpose. Hence, this leads to the debate among families of whether or not to intervene in a terminally-ill, clinically brain dead family member who will never be able to regain consciousness.
I agree with David's perspective. I believe consciousness is the state of being fully aware of ones surroundings and be able to respond to those surrounding activities happening. I do believe if one is brain dead they are in a state of unconsciousness or in a coma for another example. What are the accuracy levels for reading on if someone who maybe in a coma would come back to a full consciousness and if it were to happen how likely are the risk of have permanent damages to the brain?