Abstract

We can explain “knowing” in Avicenna's thought through higher-order consciousness. He admits unconscious perception both in innate human knowledge namely self-awareness and self-evident concepts and propositions and in sense perceptions, imaginary perceptions, and intellectual perceptions. The difference between conscious and unconscious perceptions is due to the presence of self as the spectator of perception in the earlier and the absence of that in the later. So acquiring knowledge is possible only through presence, attention, and intention of self, hence one knows that she knows. So “knowing” requires higher-order consciousness.