It is a great weakness of the english language that being implies both the nature of a thing and its current state. In spanish, we have "Ser" (a permanent quali

It is a great weakness of the english language that being implies both the nature of a thing and its current state. In spanish, we have "Ser" (a permanent quality, an identity) and "estar" (right now). You are(ser) a conscious being, but you are(estar) not conscious in that state.