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I think once we figure out what consciousness actually is, we will regard it as more than "just a feeling" but not the be-all and end-all of cognition or intelligence either.

My guess: Consciousness is your brain's logging facility. Conscious brains tag their experiences with symbols to help the brain organize and index them for reflection and introspection later.

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I would be careful not to take software/CS metaphors too far. I don't mean to say one domain's concepts can never be applied to another domain, but developers hold certain assumptions about our domain that may not apply elsewhere. Even basic observations can rely upon more deep-rooted axioms.

I only say this because it's something I've been reflecting on lately - I've found that by being too immersed in the context of software development, I've often fallen victim to this mindset:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_the_instrument

> Consciousness is your brain's logging facility.

this doesn't explain anything at all about the will, active choices, and introspection, all of which are a huge part of one's consciousness, and can even further extend it (for example by integrating the concepts discussed in threads like this to one's own self reflection and experiences)

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