nineteen ways of looking at consciousness by patrick house

If we didn’t experience consciousness ourselves we’d have no way of knowing it existed in the universe: there’s simply no physical evidence for it. Physicists can probe the interior of an atom and land spacecraft on another planet, House complains, but biologists don’t know what sadness is. No one has the slightest idea of how it does this. The organ’s purpose is to take in sensory data from the body, build statistical simulations of both the body and the environment around it, then issue commands in response to predictions generated by the simulations.Īll of these functions are understood, to a greater or lesser degree, but the brain also generates consciousness: the sense of being a self-existing inside those simulations, of seeing and feeling and thinking and doing. They have folds and crevices the surface bulges and shrinks in time with our heartbeat. Our brains resemble salty, watery walnuts about the size of two clenched fists. In a written sentence, where do the words end and the sentence begin? The neuroscientist Patrick House wonders if the question is relevant to the problem of consciousness. ' A highly unusual but brilliant book.with a distinct voice that is fiercely unique.NINETEEN WAYS OF LOOKING AT CONSCIOUSNESS, by Patrick House This book is a gem.' - Robert Sapolsky, author of Behave and MacArthur Fellowship winner In addition to being an intellectual pleasure, this is an aesthetic one as well - House writes like a dream, with great drollness and elegance of phrase. 'In Nineteen Ways of Looking at Consciousness, Patrick House explores intensely interesting, beautifully provocative ideas about the neurobiology of consciousness.

This remarkable book fosters a sense of mystery and wonder about the strangeness of the relationship between our inner selves and our environment. Neuroscientist and author Patrick House describes complex concepts in accessible terms, weaving brain science, technology, gaming, analogy, and philosophy into a tapestry that illuminates how the brain works and what enables consciousness.

Nineteen Ways of Looking at Consciousness offers a brilliant overview of the state of modern consciousness research in twenty brief, revealing chapters. This is bursting with insight.' Publishers Weeklyĭespite decades of research, remarkable imagery, and insights from a range of scientific and medical disciplines, the human brain remains largely unexplored. 'In Nineteen Ways of Looking at Consciousness, Patrick House explores intensely interesting, beautifully provocative ideas about the neurobiology of consciousness. Paperback Our leading theories of how your brain really worksĪ concise, elegant, and thought-provoking exploration of the mystery of consciousness and the functioning of the brain.

Nineteen ways of looking at consciousness by patrick house