Consciousness, Foundation, Fulcrum

The Foundation of Locke's theory is I Sense, so, in general, the Foundation of the Modern Foundationalism that spans the traditions initiated by I Think and I Sense is Consciousness, on the basis of which Rationalism and Empiricism are differentiated by virtue of their contrasting Objects, with varying concepts of the Subject of Consciousness also developed.  But regardless of these variations, the theories all share having been abstracted from a wider context, that, in terms of the central image, can be characterized as the Ground and the Groundwork that precedes them.  Thus, for example, consideration of the concept of Consciousness functioning as a Fulcrum, rather than as a Foundation, as has been previously discussed, is preempted by the abstraction.  Now, that function is difficult to conceive insofar as Consciousness is conceived as an a-causal, translucent, medium in which data are registered.  Nevertheless, that Consciousness is conceived as a Foundation, and, hence, as bearing the weight of the structure that is built on it, suggests the inadequacy of that standard concept.  In contrast, insofar as, following Kant, Consciousness is conceived as a process of Synthesis, Causality can be attributed to it--Formal Causality.  On that model, Consciousness is Comprehension, i. e. a virtual taking possession of an object, in order to control it, rather than merely having contact with it.  Such Causality is explicitly expressed in the formulation of the identity of Knowledge and Power, i. e. that Knowledge is fundamentally Techne.  But this function of Consciousness is difficult to recognize once the abstraction that eliminates it is itself abstracted from.