In wholly objective terms, consciousness does not exist.
It is an intersubjective phenomenon, a folk psychological
concept that serves to differentiate those kinds of thing
with which we identify from those with which we do not.
I'm talking here about consciousness in the sense that
humans and probably some other species are considered
conscious, while rocks are not. Consciousness as
distinguished from a temporary state of
unconsciousness, is a slightly different concept.
And I have to insist that matter is no more real than is
consciousness -- both are concepts that are useful for
some purposes, and useless for others. I'm certainly
not a materialist, and I don't like being taken for one.
Mind is at least as important as matter, even though
ultimately both are mere appearance, ripples on the
ocean of reality.
Robin