Consciousness is a trick for human neural network to simplify some calculations about the world. It was developed as an evolutionary trait and proved useful to survive. That's my opinion. It's not an illusion, it definitely exists as an particular configuration of neurons.

Why put the cart before the horse

> Answer: the conscious mind.

It's a controversial idea, but depending on the state of the brain, there may be more than one consciousness.

Maybe "you" are actually a committee.

I like the opposite idea, that maybe we are all the same consciousness, projected in bodies that have different subjective experiences and memories.