mind

Mind is related to consciousness, an awareness of one's own existence. In a conscious being, it is the element, part, substance, or process that reasons, thinks, feels, perceives, judges, etc. From a psychological point of view it is the totality of mental processes and activities, whether conscious or unconscious.

Theories of the mind -- Cartesian dualism popularized the notion of the mind being separate from the body and brain, as in being non-material. On the other hand, materialism, being a form of monism, considers the mind to be material in origin and substance.

See phenomenon for a historical perspective on the mind.