consciousness is defined as:
- the quality or state of being aware especially of something within oneself
- the state or fact of being
conscious of an external object, state, or fact
(
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consciousness)
If we take "a blow to the head" we become unconscious.
unconscious is defined:
- not awake especially because of an injury, drug, etc.
- not aware of something
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unconscious
Do you see that? The second definition of unconscious states that we are unconscious if we are not aware of something. It does not say that we are not aware of everything. The first definition states that being unconscious includes "not awake". So if we are sleeping we are considered unconscious.
Just because you are not conscious to the sound of music playing in the background while you are asleep, does not suggest that you are not conscious enough to feel someone punch you in the face.
Just because you may not be conscious of the man who punches you in the face while you are sleeping does not mean that you are not in some way conscious of every single breath you take.
And then there is the subconscious.
A medical definition for subconscious defines subconscious as:
- imperfectly conscious
: partially but not fully aware.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subconscious
It is my understanding that everything is in some way aware of the interactions it encounters with other entities, whether alive or dead, whether simple or complex. Everything has consciousness. And the words we use are constructed simply for the purpose of distinguishing the degree of consciousness something or someone might have.