A History of the Mind
by Nicholas Humphrey | October 1, 1992 | Politics & Social Sciences
How does the water of the brain yield the wine of conscious experience? What is the link between bodily activity and our inner feeling of what it’s like to be our selves?
The problem of qualia — the so-called "hard problem" of consciousness — has intrigued philosophers for generations and remains the greatest challenge to contemporary science. In this path-breaking book, Nicholas Humphrey exam...
How does the water of the brain yield the wine of conscious experience? What is the link between bodily activity and our inner feeling of what it’s like to be our selves?
The problem of qualia — the so-called "hard problem" of consciousness — has intrigued philosophers for generations and remains the greatest challenge to contemporary science. In this path-breaking book, Nicholas Humphrey examines the issues in the light of evolutionary history and proposes a solution very different from any previously offered. He suggests that instead of focusing on second-order mental faculties, or "thoughts about thoughts", we need to look at the raw sensations themselves which are central to all conscious states. He takes the reader on an exhilarating journey through little-known areas of biology, psychology and philosophy, to discover the origins of all forms of self-awareness in the primitive pain and pleasure responses of our distant ancestors.
Packed with psychological information and ingenious speculation, A History of the Mind not only recasts the debate about the nature of conscious experience but provides fascinating insights into many other topics along the way. Already a classic, this book is as informative and entertaining as it is profound.
More details for A History of the Mind
-
ISBN #
0671686445
-
Page count
240 pages
-
Publication Date
October 1, 1992
-
Publisher
Simon & Schuster
-
Category
Non-Fiction
-
Genre
-
Amazon Star Rating
4.1
-
Amazon Ratings Count
20 ratings
-
Amazon Last Rating Data Date
September 8, 2021
When you purchase an independently ranked book through our site, we earn an affiliate commission.
Get top-rated books in your inbox
Explore top rated books similar to A History of the Mind.
