Consciousness Explained (Penguin Science)
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Product Description
Product Description
This book revises the traditional view of consciousness by claiming that Cartesianism and Descartes' dualism of mind and body should be replaced with theories from the realms of neuroscience, psychology and artificial intelligence. 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 considers how consciousness could have evolved in human beings and confronts the classic mysteries of consciousness: the nature of introspection, the self or ego and its relation to thoughts and sensations, and the level of consciousness of non-human creatures.
About the Author
Daniel Dennett is the author of Brainstorms, Brainchildren, Elbow Room, Consciousness Explained and Darwin's Dangerous Idea. He is currently the Distinguished Arts and Sciences Professor and Director of the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts University. He lives in North Andover, Massachusetts.
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First Sentence
Suppose evil scientists removed your brain from your body while you slept, and set it up in a life-support system in a vat. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Suppose evil scientists removed your brain from your body while you slept, and set it up in a life-support system in a vat. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
In his lectures, Dan Dennett likes to quote his friend Lee Siegel who's done extensive work on magic:
"I'm writing a book on magic," I explain, and I'm asked, "Real magic?" By real magic people mean miracles, thaumaturgical acts, and supernatural powers. "No," I answer: "Conjuring tricks, not real magic." Real magic, in other words, refers to the magic that is not real, while the magic that is real, that can actually be done, is not real magic"
This sets up Dennett's argument about consciousness nicely. A lot of people firmly believe that consciousness is some kind of magical property which couldn't possibly simply be a process of mere matter. Or as Dennett states, you have all the brain processes which come together and 'then a miracle happens' and voila, consciousness. Is this really the case? People used to believe in some kind of life force; how could life emerge out of mere matter?! Then the likes of Darwin and Dawkins showed us exactly how: no miracles, no magic, life emerges out of complexity. Is it really such a stretch to believe that the same can happen with consciousness? Dennett doesn't think so.
The hyperbole of the title aside, he doesn't wholly explain consciousness so much as demonstrate what it is not. This book is more of a starting point or a road sign which finally points towards a feasible explanation. Rather than trying to hunt down pixie dust, he says that the Cartesian Theatre absolutely does not exist and therefore we must radically re-think how we approach this topic. Despite what his detractors say, Dennett is not saying that consciousness does not exist; he's telling us that it's not what it seems. Instead, he proposes his own 'Multiple Drafts' theory which throws out the theatre altogether. Agree with him or not, it's hard to walk away from this book without having your confidence about what consciousness is severely shaken.
Be warned, this book is heavy going in places and for most will involved a dramatic shift in perspective (which explains why Dennett is so widely misunderstood and vilified). However, if you are serious about finding out who you really are and open minded enough to accept the possibility that things aren't exactly what they appear to be, then this book is essential reading. That said, I would recommend at least having read (and properly understood!) Richard Dawkins' 'The Selfish Gene' and a decent introduction to the topic of consciousness before attempting this. Sue Blackmore has written two excellent introductory texts (Consciousness: An Introduction & Consciousness: A Very Short Introduction), either of which would be an ideal starting point.
"I'm writing a book on magic," I explain, and I'm asked, "Real magic?" By real magic people mean miracles, thaumaturgical acts, and supernatural powers. "No," I answer: "Conjuring tricks, not real magic." Real magic, in other words, refers to the magic that is not real, while the magic that is real, that can actually be done, is not real magic"
This sets up Dennett's argument about consciousness nicely. A lot of people firmly believe that consciousness is some kind of magical property which couldn't possibly simply be a process of mere matter. Or as Dennett states, you have all the brain processes which come together and 'then a miracle happens' and voila, consciousness. Is this really the case? People used to believe in some kind of life force; how could life emerge out of mere matter?! Then the likes of Darwin and Dawkins showed us exactly how: no miracles, no magic, life emerges out of complexity. Is it really such a stretch to believe that the same can happen with consciousness? Dennett doesn't think so.
The hyperbole of the title aside, he doesn't wholly explain consciousness so much as demonstrate what it is not. This book is more of a starting point or a road sign which finally points towards a feasible explanation. Rather than trying to hunt down pixie dust, he says that the Cartesian Theatre absolutely does not exist and therefore we must radically re-think how we approach this topic. Despite what his detractors say, Dennett is not saying that consciousness does not exist; he's telling us that it's not what it seems. Instead, he proposes his own 'Multiple Drafts' theory which throws out the theatre altogether. Agree with him or not, it's hard to walk away from this book without having your confidence about what consciousness is severely shaken.
Be warned, this book is heavy going in places and for most will involved a dramatic shift in perspective (which explains why Dennett is so widely misunderstood and vilified). However, if you are serious about finding out who you really are and open minded enough to accept the possibility that things aren't exactly what they appear to be, then this book is essential reading. That said, I would recommend at least having read (and properly understood!) Richard Dawkins' 'The Selfish Gene' and a decent introduction to the topic of consciousness before attempting this. Sue Blackmore has written two excellent introductory texts (Consciousness: An Introduction & Consciousness: A Very Short Introduction), either of which would be an ideal starting point.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This rather long and sometimes rambling book achieves at least two thirds of what I expected. Dennett completely demolishes the Cartesian Dualism model, showing through anecdote and experiment that ideas of a separate mind and body are completely out of touch with reality.
A large portion of the book is dedicated to dismantling ideas that are built on this model, I found the non-linear, revisionist perception of time to be one of the most powerful and thought provoking revelations.
Drawing from many fields of science (computing, psychology, neurology and evolutionary biology to name a few) he then goes on to describe his alternative model for consciousness. His multiple drafts theory is empirical, making falsifiable scientific predictions and I believe his description to be an accurate one.
The book is sometimes quite difficult to follow, philosophy is rarely an easy read but I've come to expect popular science writers to speak plainly, where Dawkins coins snappy and self-explanatory words such as "meme" or "concestor" Dennett's "heterophenomenology" is a nine syllable monster. Also it is not a riveting read, it has taken me almost a year to finally finish this book. I enjoyed the experiments, anecdotes, evolutionary biology and computer science much more than the reams of prelude and philosophical reasoning. In my opinion it would have been better as two books, one a highly technical exploration of the philosophy of mind and another popular science for the layman. I would have enjoyed the latter much more.
Finally I think that the title is misleading, it did transform my understanding of human consciousness but it raised as many new questions as it answered. I am no closer to understanding what consciousness is, what it means to be, or whether consciousness is a fundamental property of the universe or an emergent pattern in matter. Perhaps "Consciousness Described" would have been a more fitting title.
A large portion of the book is dedicated to dismantling ideas that are built on this model, I found the non-linear, revisionist perception of time to be one of the most powerful and thought provoking revelations.
Drawing from many fields of science (computing, psychology, neurology and evolutionary biology to name a few) he then goes on to describe his alternative model for consciousness. His multiple drafts theory is empirical, making falsifiable scientific predictions and I believe his description to be an accurate one.
The book is sometimes quite difficult to follow, philosophy is rarely an easy read but I've come to expect popular science writers to speak plainly, where Dawkins coins snappy and self-explanatory words such as "meme" or "concestor" Dennett's "heterophenomenology" is a nine syllable monster. Also it is not a riveting read, it has taken me almost a year to finally finish this book. I enjoyed the experiments, anecdotes, evolutionary biology and computer science much more than the reams of prelude and philosophical reasoning. In my opinion it would have been better as two books, one a highly technical exploration of the philosophy of mind and another popular science for the layman. I would have enjoyed the latter much more.
Finally I think that the title is misleading, it did transform my understanding of human consciousness but it raised as many new questions as it answered. I am no closer to understanding what consciousness is, what it means to be, or whether consciousness is a fundamental property of the universe or an emergent pattern in matter. Perhaps "Consciousness Described" would have been a more fitting title.
58 of 66 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The easiest thing to express, and the hardest to explain, is 'self.' If asked to define who you are, most people [excepting Daniel C. Dennett] would say, "Well, I'm me!" Pressed to define this expression those same people would likely flounder about, ending with something about being "conscious of myself - I know in my mind." It is that notion of consciousness that Dennett seeks to explain to us in this absorbing book on mind/brain awareness. Its audacious title notifies the reader that there are some fascinating concepts examined in this book. Dennett's thinking and writing skills have few, if any, peers, but be advised the going isn't always easy. 'Self' is the ultimate philosophical question and Dennett is challenging some dearly cherished beliefs here.
The most common expression of "self" nearly always boils down to the idea that our mind has a central area that observes the world around us. That centre assesses and expresses our concepts of that world in thoughts, speech, writing, whatever. It is that concept that Dennett assaults in this book. Often referred to as the Cartesian Theatre from Rene Descarte's "I think, therefore I am" concept that the brain [physical] and mind [conceptual] were separate, Dennett finds this notion too simplistic. He knows the mind is in the brain. How it works in observing the world and expressing our ideas of it is the theme of this book.
Dennett explains many facets of how we observe and how we react to what we observe. He strives admirably to counter the still widely-held belief that consciousness is a tangible "thing" that can be identified and dealt with. No such "thing" is there, he notes. Instead, the mind is weighing input and dealing with many options at once. He posits a concept of this situation he calls the 'Multiple Drafts' theory. The mind/brain is continuously processing information and making selections about what to respond to and how to make the response. Responses may be speech, writing or simply memory storage.
While Dennett's use of terminology may make the novice quail, his down-to-earth approach to the issues makes this book delightful reading for anyone. Instead of arcane concepts or lofty language from America's pre-eminent philosopher, we're given many concrete examples of how our minds work. His stature, however, is in no small part due to his skills as a communicator. Those skills are artfully expressed in this book. If you have problems with terms like 'heterophenomenology' or 'qualia', take a moment to go back to his definitions, or read on to enjoy his explanations. Either way, there are rewards. Iin short, this whole book is rewarding and will go far in helping human beings understand just what they are. We are conscious, we think, therefore we are human. How to better understand that situation is amply explained by reading this outstanding book. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Dissapointing
I first learnt of Daniel Dennet when I watched Jonathan Miller's excellent documentary series "A brief history of disbelief", which I enjoyed immensely not least the interview with... Read more
Published 2 months ago by DoctorSaunders
Preaching to the Choir
This is not one of Dennett's best books, and as some other's have mentioned, the title is over ambitious to put it mildly. Read more
Published 22 months ago by James Coffey
Not what is says on the box
As a book on the relative merits of various philosophies of mind, it's a good read.
As an explanation of consciousness, it isn't. Read more
As an explanation of consciousness, it isn't. Read more
Published 22 months ago by AgentMulderUK
challenging, but worth every minute
In this undoubtedly opinionated book, Dennett explains and entertains in equal measure. He draws widely on various fields such as Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience in his... Read more
Published 23 months ago by readerholic
Consciousness described
Consciousness Explained by Daniel C. Dennett, Penguin, 1993, 528 ff.
Consciousness described
By Howard A. Read more
Consciousness described
By Howard A. Read more
Published on 14 Mar 2010 by Dr. H. A. Jones
"Everything But Consciousness Explained"
"Everything But Consciousness Explained." Not my quote but it is totally true. All the book's explanations of the systems associated with consciousness and perception are... Read more
Published on 9 Jan 2010 by Fontwell
Daniel Dennett slays the dragon of Cartesian dualism
In 'Consciousness Explained', Daniel Dennett slays the dragon of Cartesian dualism, in which mental stuff interacts with physical stuff somewhere in the brain by showing how what... Read more
Published on 13 Oct 2009 by G. Imroth
Consciousness dismissed
No, I do not believe that Dennett succeeds in his stated objective. But this book is THE one to read after you've finished Descartes, if you're remotely serious about... Read more
Published on 29 Jan 2009 by John Ferngrove
The Introduction to Consciousness
"Consciousness Explained" is the best place to start if you want to begin the venture into this perplexing area. Read more
Published on 10 Aug 2008 by Oliver
Consciousness NOT explained!
I gave this book one star ONLY because the title of the book is sensationalist. Dennett does NOT know what consciousness is, and so does not even try to explain it. Read more
Published on 9 Jun 2008 by Richard
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