<p><br></p><p>The title is meant to indicate that consciousness is being examined largely within the history of philosophy and within the period of time from Descartes to Ayer.&nbsp;</p><p>Investigators aiming to understand consciousness and minds usually try to take account of all individual human minds so as to have the most data for&nbsp; the most encompassing induction.&nbsp; The problem with that approach is that because of the vastness of the data its results tend to be vague lacking the specificity of studies of individuals.&nbsp; On the other hand&nbsp;the problem with studies of individuals is that they cannot guarantee generality as the opposing method can.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>This book's&nbsp;distinctive approach aims at a middle way getting the best of the two opposing methods by drawing its data from the history of philosophy especially the history of the great philosophers.<br><p></p><br>