- Paperback: 460 pages
- Publisher: Hodder Education (30 May 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0340809094
- ISBN-13: 978-0340809099
- Product Dimensions: 24.4 x 18.4 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 378,302 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
Consciousness, Second Edition An Introduction
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £2.45
Get an extra £5 when you trade in books worth £10 or more until June 30, 2012. Trade in Consciousness: An Introduction for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £2.45, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Find more products eligible for trade-in.
|
|
There is a newer edition of this item:
|
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
One day, all consciousness textbooks will be made this way. Susan Blackmore's Consciousness is an invaluable addition to the area of consciousness research. It is balanced, scholarly and yet student-friendly: no undergraduate course on consciousness should be without it. This book will prove to be the benchmark by which future consciousness-course texts are judged.
Blackmore's title concentrates on the theory and practice of consciousness by asking you to do some thinking for yourself...she invites you as the reader to join in the speculations by taking part in various illustrative activities. These provide far more insight than words and references ever could on their own. This book can be read by anyone at any level of interest, from the most casual browser to the full-time psychology professional. (Focus )
Blackmore provides a very student-friendly way in to the often complex debates about consciousness (Mr A Stone, South Bank University )
Blackmore's title concentrates on the theory and practice of consciousness by asking you to do some thinking for yourself...she invites you as the reader to join in the speculations by taking part in various illustrative activities. These provide far more insight than words and references ever could on their own. This book can be read by anyone at any level of interest, from the most casual browser to the full-time psychology professional. (Focus )
Blackmore provides a very student-friendly way in to the often complex debates about consciousness (Mr A Stone, South Bank University )
Product Description
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 a topic that was banned from serious research for most of the last century, but is now an area of increasing popular interest, as well as a rapidly expanding area of study for students of psychology, philosophy and neuroscience. This ground-breaking new book by best-selling author Susan Blackmore is the first of its kind to bring together all the major theories of consciousness studies, from those based on neuroscience to those based on quantum theory or Eastern philosophy.
The book examines topics such as how subjective experiences arise from objective brain processes, the basic neuroscience of consciousness, altered states of consciousness, out of body and near death experiences and the effects of drugs, dreams and meditation. It also explores the nature of self, the possibility of artificial consciousness in robots, and the question of whether animals are conscious.
For all those intrigued by popular science, and what it means to exist, this book could radically transform each reader’s understanding of their own consciousness.
The book examines topics such as how subjective experiences arise from objective brain processes, the basic neuroscience of consciousness, altered states of consciousness, out of body and near death experiences and the effects of drugs, dreams and meditation. It also explores the nature of self, the possibility of artificial consciousness in robots, and the question of whether animals are conscious.
For all those intrigued by popular science, and what it means to exist, this book could radically transform each reader’s understanding of their own consciousness.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
First Sentence
The problem of consciousness is related to most of the oldest questions of philosophy: What is the world made of? Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
The problem of consciousness is related to most of the oldest questions of philosophy: What is the world made of? Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The presentation of this book will irritate traditionalists (There are lots of cartoons, and GCSE textbook style 'question boxes'), but this should not detract from an what is an excellent introduction to a highly complex topic. Blackmore excels in making very abstract and hypothetical ideas about human consciousness accesible to almost anyone.
In effect the book provides the reader with a 'jumping off point', suggesting that the only way in which you will gain insight into matters related to consciousness is by introspection. In other words, no theory will do the trick - the answers lie in analysing your own subjective experience. What Blackmore does is lay out the key points of various theories through all the relevant disciplines: psychology, philosophy, religion and science.
Of course, this approach does have its weakness - and this is true of any kind of popularisation of a subject. No doubt some would complain that Blackmores approach amounts to 'dumbing down'. However, this is exactly why the book is referred to as an 'introduction', and those looking for a new take on the subject will end up disappointed. However, there are ample references, enabling the reader to pick up on the leads Blackmore gives. As Blackmore writes, studying consciousness completely changes your view of the world, and its something you have to be ready for. Another guarantee is that you will end up more confused than you begun: consciousness can demystify far more than it can explain. However, if you want an intellectual challenge that will change your life this book is worth every penny.
49 of 53 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have really been looking forward to Susan Blackmore's latest book. Her previous "Meme Machine" was an absolutely pleasureable read, and resulted in much 'putting down a while and thinking about what one has just read'. A stimulating read.
This new book is modestly subtitled, "An Introduction" - but I suppose many definitive works on a particular subject are thus categorized. There is little doubt that the author covers the field thoroughly and meticulously, with some references as recently published as 2003.
What is a surprise is that the book is laid out for class study, with suggested activities, comprehension questions and further reading listed with every chapter. But thumbnail biographies of relevant personages also accompany each chapter, and pithy to-the-point quotations are dotted in the margins. Susan's son contributed cute little cartoons here and there, also relevant to the context. All in all, a well thought-out presentation which succeeds admirably.
As to actual content, this fuzzy science of human consciousness doesn't lend itself to breakthrough pronouncements - the 'Illusion of consciousness' and 'No free will' concepts are well covered in previous books.
Once again, the punting of Ms. Blackmore's personal Buddhist views are a little jarring - which she admits - but they do tend to detract from the overall scientific approach to the subject.
I recommend this book to laypeople such as myself who have an interest in this 'last great mystery of science ' - but don't expect a final word on the subject.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Absolutely brilliant. As someone who has a deep interest in psychology and philosophy, i was drawn very much to this book. It cover ever so much on the topic, easy to understand yet also deeply thought-provoking. AMAZING!
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
The most helpful consciousness textbook for my undergraduate degree
Sue Blackmore's book is an excellent guide for the introduction to consciousness. Consciousness is a great philosophical subject and Blackmore has made it an even more interesting... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Ellie
Super book!
This has been written as a course text-book, with self assessment questions and exercises, but don't be put off by that. It is a superb introduction to a fascinating subject. Read more
Published 23 months ago by The Walrus
A hugely exciting book!
I had already read and very much enjoyed Sue's "Conversations on consciousness" - so this book seemed the natural progression. I adored the book. Read more
Published on 4 Sep 2009 by P. A. Tonkin
You'll never be the same again...
Ooooh! This will really get you thinking about all sorts of things. Like, when exactly do you truly consciously make a decision to get off the toilet seat (try it next... Read more
Published on 14 Dec 2007 by WeatherNerd
a brave and exciting book
I agree with the other reviewiers - this is a well written and informative book especially given the subject. Read more
Published on 12 Nov 2004 by "jill6665"
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
