Conscious Mind in Search of a Fundamental Theory (Revised)

What is consciousness? How do physical processes in the brain give rise to the self-aware mind and to feelings as profoundly varied as love or hate aesthetic pleasure or spiritual yearning? David J. Chalmers unveils a major new theory of consciousness one that rejects the prevailing reductionist trend of science while offering provocative insights into the relationship between mind and brain. Writing in a thought-provoking style Chalmers proposes that conscious experience must be understood as an irreducible entity similar to such physical properties as time mass and space that exists at a fundamental level and cannot be understood as the sum of its parts. Engaging and penetrating this book adds a fresh new perspective to the subject that is sure to spark debate about our understanding of the mind for years to come.