Consciousness Explained

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