The unconscious has had a long and chequered history. For at least the last 4,000 years, societies have concocted comforting fables in the face of the recurrent puzzles of human existence - death, dreaming, madness, possession, inspiration - that invariably rely on some notion of the unconscious. Supernatural 'fairy stories' need some internal proxy or contact point through which the influence of demons and spirits can flow. And without such gods and forces, some psychological machinery is needed to take over their work. But what IS the unconscious? Is it 'God's viceroy', the soul? Is it the locked ward of Freudian desire? Is the subliminal mind the source of the sublime emotions of the Romantics? Is is the mental microchip of cognitive science? Or is it simply the brain?
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'Claxton's quest for the origins of the unconscious mind combines page-turning narrative with cutting-edge neuroscience' -- Rita Carter, author of MAPPING THE MIND and CONSCIOUSNESS
‘A captivating account of the ways in which the unconscious has entranced and intrigued thinkers throughout the centuries' -- SUNDAY BUSINESS POST
‘Claxton’s book stands out from the crowd. It is a work of terrific breadth' -- Robert Macfarlane, SPECTATOR
‘A captivating account of the ways in which the unconscious has entranced and intrigued thinkers throughout the centuries' -- SUNDAY BUSINESS POST
‘Claxton’s book stands out from the crowd. It is a work of terrific breadth' -- Robert Macfarlane, SPECTATOR
About the Author
Guy Claxton is an internationally renowned writer, consultant, lecturer and academic specialising in creativity, education and the mind. He has a double first in Natural Science from Cambridge, a doctorate in psychology from Oxford and has held the post o
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By Valak
Format:Paperback
A very good insight into the intricate workings of the mind. I particularly enjoyed the early chapters of the book which focus on how our early ancestors may have come to terms with baffling life issues such as what happens when we sleep or dream and when people die. Through these life encounters, we see how formulations of the soul come about and of life after death.
We see the ancient Egyptians and Greeks coping with these matters through their mythology, religion and philosophy. And then we are introduced to medieval notions of the soul and from there arrive in the Cartesian era of the rational mind. The author also does a good job presenting the Romantics' counter to Descartes' postulate of the conscious mind as the basis of 'intelligence'.
I should point out that the book draws on numerous anecdotes from a variety of cultures to make its point and not just the western experience. There is enough coverage of the contributions of the likes of Freud and Jung to the understanding of the mind and copious experiments to mystify or baffle the reader.
For me personally, this book's a keeper. It does require the occasional effort to grasp some points but rewards the perservering reader in equal measure to their efforts. I hope Prof. Claxton will provide us with an update on any developments with another book sometime in the future.
We see the ancient Egyptians and Greeks coping with these matters through their mythology, religion and philosophy. And then we are introduced to medieval notions of the soul and from there arrive in the Cartesian era of the rational mind. The author also does a good job presenting the Romantics' counter to Descartes' postulate of the conscious mind as the basis of 'intelligence'.
I should point out that the book draws on numerous anecdotes from a variety of cultures to make its point and not just the western experience. There is enough coverage of the contributions of the likes of Freud and Jung to the understanding of the mind and copious experiments to mystify or baffle the reader.
For me personally, this book's a keeper. It does require the occasional effort to grasp some points but rewards the perservering reader in equal measure to their efforts. I hope Prof. Claxton will provide us with an update on any developments with another book sometime in the future.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By Andy Taylor
Format:Hardcover
A very mixed review...This is a truly excellent work on the unconscious and in a very exciting area, which helps put a whole range of big issues, such as religion and spirituality in the context of a true understanding of the brain. The frustrating part is that, for me it's OVER-stuffed with history, which is only just relevant enough, and makes the book too long. Also, the writing style makes it hard work to read...too elaborate for me. So that makes it a hard slog. The last third of the book gets us up to date and is great...if you're busy like me, you might jump through the first half - I'm sure the author wouldn't approve. However I'd buy it and recommend it just for the last third. Mr Claxton...please do a short readable version, without the history. I'll buy several for friends/colleagues. Andy
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By ianscardiff
Format:Hardcover
This is a very good book, if what you're after is a history of how people thought the unconscious worked throughout the ages. It does NOT give you extensive detail on how we currently think it functions (-just two chapters really : ch 8/9, although they are extremely good), so disregard it if that's your main aim.
It also has one of the most pointless, tedious and annoying introductory chapters of all time! I nearly gave up on this book whilst reading it! It really sits better as a summary.. as it refers to subjects covered later in the book and foists on us certain bits of the author's (-i.e. dualist) personal views.. I advise you to skip this chapter.
Listmania!
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