Consciousness : an introduction

Consciousness, 'the last great mystery for science', has now become a hot topic. How can a physical brain create our experience of the world? What creates our identity? Do we really have free will? Could consciousness itself be an illusion? issues, and the field has now expanded to include biologists, neuroscientists, psychologists, and philosophers. This controversial book clarifies the potentially confusing arguments, and the major theories using illustrations, lively cartoons, and experiments.Topics include vision and attention, theories of self and will, experiments on action and awareness, altered states of consciousness, and the effects of brain "Is there a theory that explains the essence of consciousness? Or is consciousness itself an illusion Am I conscious now Now considered the 'last great mystery of science', consciousness was once viewed with extreme scepticism and rejected by mainstream scientists. It is now a significant area of research, albeit a contentious one, as well as a rapidly expanding area of study for students of psychology, philosophy, and neuroscience.This edition of Consciousness, revised by author team Susan Blackmore and Emily Troscianko, explores the key theories and evidence in consciousness studies ranging from neuroscience and psychology to quantum theories and philosophy. It examines why the term 'consciousness' has no recognised definition and provides an opportunity to delve into personal intuitions about the self, mind, and consciousness. Featuring comprehensive coverage of all core topics in the field, this edition includes: Why the problem of consciousness is so hard. Neuroscience and the neural correlates of consciousness. Why we might be mistaken about our own minds. The apparent difference between conscious and unconscious. Theories of attention, free will, and self and other. The evolution of consciousness in animals and machines. Altered states from meditation to drugs and dreaming. Complete with key concept boxes, profiles of well-known thinkers, and questions and activities suitable for both independent study and group work, Consciousness provides a complete introduction to this fascinating field of study. Additional resources are available on the accompanying companion website: www.routledge.com/cw/blackmore."--Provided by publisher "Is there a theory that explains the essence of consciousness? Or is consciousness itself an illusion? Am I conscious now?Now considered the 'last great mystery of science', consciousness was once viewed with extreme scepticism and rejected by mainstream scientists. It is now a significant area of research, albeit a contentious one, as well as a rapidly expanding area of study for students of psychology, philosophy, and neuroscience. This edition of Consciousness, revised by author team Susan Blackmore and Emily Troscianko, explores the key theories and evidence in consciousness studies ranging from neuroscience and psychology to quantum theories and philosophy. It examines why the term 'consciousness' has no recognised definition and provides an opportunity to delve into personal intuitions about the self, mind, and consciousness. Featuring comprehensive coverage of all core topics in the field, this edition includes:Why the problem of consciousness is so hardNeuroscience and the neural correlates of consciousnessWhy we might be mistaken about our own mindsThe apparent difference between conscious and unconscious Theories of attention, free will, and self and otherThe evolution of consciousness in animals and machinesAltered states from meditation to drugs and dreamingComplete with key concept boxes, profiles of well-known thinkers, and questions and activities suitable for both independent study and group work, Consciousness provides a complete introduction to this fascinating field of study. Additional resources are available on the accompanying companion website: www.routledge.com/cw/blackmore?"--Provided by publisher Consciousness', 'the last great mystery for science', remains a hot topic. How can a physical brain create our experience of the world? What creates our identity? Do we really have free will? Could consciousness itself be an illusion? Exciting new developments in brain science are continuing the debates on these issues, and the field has now expanded to include biologists, neuroscientists, psychologists, and philosophers. This controversial book clarifies the potentially confusing arguments, and the major theories, whilst also outlining the amazing pace of discoveries in neuroscience. Covering areas such as the construction of self in the brain, mechanisms of attention, the neural correlates of consciousness, and the physiology of altered states of consciousness, Susan Blackmore highlights our latest findings. Cover Title Copyright Dedication Contents Boxes Prefaces Acknowledgements Introduction Section One The problem 1 What’s the problem? 2 What is it like to be . . .? 3 The grand illusion Section Two The brain 4 Neuroscience and the correlates of consciousness 5 The theatre of the mind 6 The unity of consciousness Section Three Body and world 7 Attention 8 Conscious and unconscious 9 Agency and free will Section Four Evolution 10 Evolution and animal minds 11 The function of consciousness 12 The evolution of machines Section Five Borderlands 13 Altered states of consciousness 14 Reality and imagination 15 Dreaming and beyond Section Six Self and other 16 Egos, bundles, and theories of self 17 The view from within? 18 Waking up References Index Is there a theory that explains the essence of consciousness? Or is consciousness itself just an illusion? The 'last great mystery of science', consciousness is an area of cognitive psychology that was once viewed with extreme scepticism and was consequently avoided by the majority of mainstream scientific researchers. However, it has now become This text brings together all the major theories of consciousness studies, from those based on neuroscience to those based on quantum theory or Eastern philosophy, in a format specifically designed to support structured learning The problem of consciousness is related to most of the oldest questions of philosophy: What is the world made of?