Why is there consciousness?

Question:

Why is there consciousness?

Obviously we are conscious - of things, self, colors, ... What's not so obvious is why we're conscious at all

(By "consciousness" I mean a recognition of something, seeing something else. Even self-awareness is seeing yourself *as* an Other; you're stepping back from yourself, so to speak.)

"Survival value" doesn't seem like a plausible explanation to me, because both the owl and the mouse are already conscious. Sunflowers track the sun, suggesting an awareness of it, though I'm not sure. (I'm inclined to say yes.) I'm interested in why animals and (maybe) plants are conscious to begin with.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: The explanation of consciousness is similar in its circular
reasoning to accepting existence. I don't think people
can choose to be or not be conscious. If an individual
alters their consciousness, perhaps through drugs, then
the individual has made a conscious choice to be
consciously less conscious for an interval of time.
The point is, consciousness is, just as existence is.
Even if structured decisions aren't formulated then
the individual can be conscious that structured decisions
haven't been formulated, so it is not structure that
gives rise to consciousness. However, in common
usage people often do associate consciousness
with the structured awareness of themself and the
environment around them, but this is the definition
of consciousness not the explanation. Through this
definition, perhaps the most appropriate explanation
is in the semantics of consciousness and the question
"why". In my opinion, it is not possible to ask why without
being conscious because consideration requires
consciousness. Therefore, "why" assumes consciousness
and regardless of the stability or rational of the rules which
govern "why", consciousness is a requisite. Furthermore,
in that light, the question can be answered simply by
asking "why" excluding "is there consciousness".