>What makes you so sure any of us have an idea of what it means to be conscious?

I know we have an idea. It might not be right or accurate, but we very well have an idea.

>Human cognition also provides the experiencer the illusion of free will.

And I'm fine with it, as I also consider it an open question. We could very well have free will, the mechanistic view of the universe is too 18th century.