Awareness before differentiation
In the mature glossary, Awareness names the undivided condition prior to the distinction between perceiver and perceived. It is not the local event in which a human notices an object. This protects the word from being used interchangeably with perception.
Perception registers
Perception says, in its simplest form, “Something is here.” It does not create the incoming relation and does not yet determine its meaning. Memory may compare the registration with an earlier pattern; recognition may identify it; meaning may evaluate its significance.
Consciousness organises experience
Human consciousness allows perceptual events to enter a continuing organisation of attention, memory, interpretation, anticipation, choice and response. Self-consciousness appears when the node can also perceive its own experience taking form. Witness then discriminates within that process without immediate identification.