Consciousness Explained

Explores how consciousness has evolved, and how a modern understanding of the human mind is radically different from conventional explanations of consciousness. This title explains how science has exploded the classic mysteries of consciousness: the nature of introspection, and the level of consciousness of non-human creatures. In Consciousness Explained, Daniel C. Dennett reveals the secrets of one of the last remaining mysteries of the universe: the human brain. Daniel C. Dennett''s now-classic book blends philosophy, psychology and neuroscience - with the aid of numerous examples and thought-experiments - to explore how consciousness has evolved, and how a modern understanding of the human mind is radically different from conventional explanations of consciousness. What people think of as the stream of consciousness is not a single, unified sequence, the author argues, but ''multiple drafts'' of reality composed by a computer-like ''virtual machine''. Dennett explains how science has exploded the classic mysteries of consciousness: the nature of introspection, the self or ego and its relation to thoughts and sensations, the problems posed by qualia, and the level of consciousness of non-human creatures. ''Brilliant . . a torrent of stimulating thought'' Richard Dawkins ''Revolutionary . . one of the most mentally agile, intellectually resourceful books you are likely to read'' Guardian ''A masterful tapestry of deep insights . . Dennett has written a profound and important book that is also clear, exciting and witty'' Douglas R. Hofstadter, author of Gödel, Escher, Bach