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In the Theater of Consciousness: The Workspace of the Mind (Hardcover)

by Bernard J. Baars (Author) "We can only study something if we can treat it as a variable, comparing its presence to its absence ..." (more)

5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

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Product details

Hardcover: 210 pages
Publisher: OUP USA (27 Mar 1997)
Language English
ISBN-10: 0195102657
ISBN-13: 978-0195102659
Product Dimensions: 24.1 x 16.1 x 2.3 cm

Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 42,325 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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#11 in	Books > Health, Family & Lifestyle > Psychology & Psychiatry > History & Philosophy > Philosophy
#55 in	Books > Health, Family & Lifestyle > Psychology & Psychiatry > Neuropsychology
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Product Description

Bruce Mangan, Institute of Cognitive Studies, University of California, Berkeley

""Quite simply, Bernard Baars has made the most important single contribution to consciousness studies since William James."

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"Quite simply, Bernard Baars has made the most important single contribution to consciousness studies since William James. (Bruce Mangan, Institute of Cognitive Studies, University of California, Berkeley )

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We can only study something if we can treat it as a variable, comparing its presence to its absence. Read the first page

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Positive, informative and very readable., 15 Nov 2005

By	Dr. Hugh Deasy "dilettante" (DA, BRD) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: In the Theater of Consciousness: The Workspace of the Mind (Paperback)

So many books in the field of neuroscience or cognitive science are just a list of mental deficiences - they harp on about false memory syndrome etc. But Baars' masterpiece usually emphasises the positive aspects of the remarkable brain/mind system. Thus on memory he describes our amazing capacity to instantly recall images of films we saw 20 years ago, though usually in a passive way - i.e. shown the image we corectly verify it as having been in the film. Also, what I like about the theatre analogy is that it accurately captures the data from brain studies - i.e. there are many sub-conscious modules working back-stage to provide the scene depicted on the stage of consciousness. He makes a very convincing case for this, in a very readable way. I also like the implication that this model supports the idea of the homunculus - though he wouldn't say so himself perhaps. Yet the implication is there - some audience has to be watching the scene on the stage - who is looking at the television image constructed in our visual systems courtesy of myriad specialised sub-conscious modules.

Another interesting theme running through the book is the contrast of conscious limitation (only 3 or 4 things in consciousness at a a time) versus unconscious vastness. I also liked how he described what happens when anything new is presented to our brains - be it a shift of visual scene or an unexpected sound: a wave of processing sweeps across the entire brain. Such images drive home what a truly global phenomenon consciousness is. The implication is also that a binding across all brain regions must occur before consciousness is presented with the big picture - the so-called binding problem: one of the most delightfully sweet mysteries in consciousness studies. "One brain/mind to bring them all and in the brightness bind them!"

So before going for a negative view of the reality and utility of consciousness like that of Dennett, leaf through this handy little volume. Baars also says that consciousness is indeed effective and a central adaptation in evolution that allowed creatures to react to their environment in a coordinated way.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In the tradition of William James, 24 Aug 1998

By A Customer

What is consciousness? Or at least how does it work? Historically, the last individual to seriously address these questions was the great American philosopher William James, who in his seminal tome 'Principles of Psychology' (1890) outlined the essentials of a fairly comprehensive 'stream of consciousness' theory. But for most of the twentieth century the hard-problem of consciousness was either studiously avoided or redefined as something else. But in recent years with the demise of Behaviorism and its repressive dogma, groups calling themselves Cognitivist Psychologists have emerged who are resurrecting the pioneering work begun by James over 100 years ago. For serious readers interested in 'getting their feet wet' in the relatively new field of Cognitivism, Dr. Bernard Baars' highly readable book 'In the Theater of Consciousness' would serve as an excellent introduction. I have to rate it 5 STARS. Also, if this book whets your appetite for more, you may want to consider Baars' more rigorous 'A Cognitive Theory of Consciousness' where his global workspace theory is more fully developed.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Baars delves in to the theater theory in a practical way., 21 Feb 1999

By A Customer

Baars allows any reader to follow his tour through the theater theory of consciousness in an easy readable approach. He makes sure the reader has adequate examples of real life events and situations in order to better understand an interesting theory. Where does the human species go from here?

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5.0 out of 5 stars How consciousness works (and why)
Baars explains the structure of consciousness in highly readable, involving, accurate, and scientifically deep terms. (Amazing but true! Read more

Published on 13 Jun 1997

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