Full Idea
A consciousness without an object is no consciousness.
Gist of Idea
A consciousness without an object is no consciousness
Source
Arthur Schopenhauer (The World as Will and Idea [1819], I Supp)
Book Reference
Schopenhauer,Arthur: 'The World as Will and Idea', ed/tr. Berman,Jill and David [Everyman 1995], p.20
A Reaction
This hints at Hume's observations about the self. Certainly totally vacant consciousness seems inconceivable, but is that a necessary or a contingent truth?
Related Ideas
Idea 19573 The seat of the soul is where our inner and outer worlds interpenetrate [Novalis]
Idea 21452 I can only determine my existence in time via external things [Kant]
Idea 22210 After everything is bracketed, consciousness still has a unique being of its own [Husserl]