Within human cognition, conscious processes of thinking are those that we have some knowledge that we are doing, that is if asked we might be able to explain; for example, doing mental arithmetic. It is contrasted with unconscious processes which may include 'gut feelings' about things, emotion, or flashes of insight. This unconscious/conscious distinction is also refered to as System 1 vs System 2 thinking.
The term 'conscious' may also be used simply to distinguish wheter one is awake (vs asleep, in a coma, etc.) ... that is consciousness.
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