That's not a metaphor, that's what actually happens. In order to see a flowerpot your brain has to have a way to connect the image to something internal. Our b

That's not a metaphor, that's what actually happens. In order to see a flowerpot your brain has to have a way to connect the image to something internal. Our brain knows how to do semiotics without our being conscious of it. So what we think of as "consciousness" is just our brain processing information that has a sensory manifestation. Light goes into our eyes, is processed by our brain, and then we know what's in the room. But if the lights are turned off in the room, we still now what's in the room. And we call this capability "consciousness" but that's not what it is. The difficulty is that any conversation about this topic takes on the character of a Buddhist riddle. No one knows how to take the next step.