Why do we have consciousness at all? One might say, "Well, if I didn't feel hunger, I wouldn't eat." True. But why couldn't the brain simply take note of the low-fuel situation and tell the automaton body to eat? Think of the problems that would be solved. The brain wouldn't allow junk food into the system, since it would only want the healthiest and most beneficial foods. We would have no anorexia or overeating. The brain could just monitor the intake and when the internal gauge hits the "F", it tells the body to stop eating and the body simply obeys. If the muscles are too soft or the body too hampered by excess weight, the brain would just make the automaton body exercise and stay peak-performance strong.

The need and desire for sex causes unbelievable problems in this world. Certainly the brain could do a much better job than to allow the body to go around raping people or having sex with children. When the best time of year for mating arrived, the brain would seek a suitable mate (say, wide hips for child-bearing or big muscles for vitality and endurance) and say, "Procreate with that organism to keep the species surviving and strong, fit and resourceful" and the other organism would respond based on how its brain perceived the organism making the mating sound or dance. If the other organism decided no, he or she would simply walk away and the first organism would simply cease the mating ritual and seek another potential partner. No rejection, no hurt feelings, no stalking, no unwanted pregnancies, no abortions. Simple, easy, efficient.

Why should an electro-chemical reaction in my brain register as a sensation in my consciousness from which I choose from a palette of possible reactions? Why doesn't the electro-chemical stimulus by itself spur the body to take the best course of action automatically?

This is what happens in the cockroach. It doesn't need to think about anything. Some have as many as six brains and don't think with any of them. The brain in the back end can perceive a threat without the brain up front suspecting anything and the back legs are running before the front legs even move. Of course this happens very quickly so we can't really notice this but that is what happens. It works very well for the roach--they've been around far longer than we and will be around long after we're gone so consciousness is not necessary for survival. Often inimical to it actually.

If the brain creates consciousness--for what possible purpose that couldn't have been accomplished in far more efficient and more organized ways? After all, we're just another animal.