A masterful synthesis of neuroscience, philosophy and evolutionary biology, this book transforms how we understand what it means to be conscious, alive and human.
The age-old mystery of consciousness – our capacity to experience our own existence and have a sense of ourselves – remains unsolved despite the extensive efforts of neurobiologists and philosophers. What if the secret to consciousness lies not in abstract thought, but in the very feelings that pulse beneath our awareness?
In this groundbreaking work, renowned neuroscientist Antonio Damasio overturns centuries of thinking about consciousness by demonstrating how it emerges not from the highest functions of the brain but from the humble functions of the nervous system. Damasio shares his cutting-edge research on human neurology and psychology, and explains how brain, mind and body come together to generate consciousness.
He explores the profound implications for understanding human creativity, morality and culture – and confronts the existential questions raised by the extraordinary new capabilities of artificial intelligence, in an impassioned defence of human consciousness as a unique force which must be understood and valued if we are to progress as a society.
The age-old mystery of consciousness – our capacity to experience our own existence and have a sense of ourselves – remains unsolved despite the extensive efforts of neurobiologists and philosophers. What if the secret to consciousness lies not in abstract thought, but in the very feelings that pulse beneath our awareness?
In this groundbreaking work, renowned neuroscientist Antonio Damasio overturns centuries of thinking about consciousness by demonstrating how it emerges not from the highest functions of the brain but from the humble functions of the nervous system. Damasio shares his cutting-edge research on human neurology and psychology, and explains how brain, mind and body come together to generate consciousness.
He explores the profound implications for understanding human creativity, morality and culture – and confronts the existential questions raised by the extraordinary new capabilities of artificial intelligence, in an impassioned defence of human consciousness as a unique force which must be understood and valued if we are to progress as a society.
Reviews
Antonio Damasio succeeds in revealing one of the great mysteries of our age: how consciousness came to be. He explores its making, from sensing to feeling, from natural intelligence to homeostatic feeling, to the precursor for everything we invent, know, experience and theorise. Through consciousness the material and immaterial are one; through consciousness we understand ourselves. This is not only a significant book. This book is a victory for our species
Before presenting his current perspective on consciousness, Antonio Damasio occupied a prominent place in the history of the neurosciences. With his new work on consciousness, however, Damasio enters the history of science, tout court
It's hard to fathom how much is brilliantly packed into this slim volume. It's like sneaking into one of Damasio's legendary lectures and having the world of the mind, of the body, of consciousness, and experience explained to us in lucid, vivid, wonderfully voiced detail
Offers fascinating insights on what the evolution of human consciousness reveals about the development of fields like art, philosophy, and politics. . . . An ambitious and intriguing . . . take on what makes humans human
While "brain" and "mind" have become legitimate topics for scientific examination, we've long looked to artists and philosophers to illuminate "feelings" and "consciousness." Antonio Damasio's book presents a powerful scientific framework that persuasively encompasses these enigmatic realms