Consciousness. An Introduction

Now in a new edition, this innovative text is the first volume to bring together all the major theories of consciousness studies--from those rooted in traditional Western philosophy to those coming out of neuroscience, quantum theory, and Eastern philosophy. Broadly interdisciplinary, Consciousness: An Introduction, Second Edition, is divided into nine sections that examine such topics as how subjective experiences arise from objective brain processes, the basic neuroscience and neuropathology of consciousness, altered states of consciousness, mystical experiences and dreams, and the effects of drugs and meditation. It also discusses the nature of self, the possibility of artificial consciousness in robots, and the question of whether or not animals are conscious.

PEDAGOGICAL FEATURES

* Profiles of important philosophers, psychologists, neuroscientists, and biologists involved in consciousness studies

* "Concept" text boxes that elucidate specific aspects of consciousness

* "Practice" and "Activity" text boxes that encourage students to engage in practical exercises in class and at home

* Bold marginal quotations that emphasize key ideas, and suggestions for further reading

NEW TO THIS EDITION

* Cutting-edge coverage of out-of-body experiences (Chapter 24), meditation (Chapter 26), and machine consciousness (Section 6)

* A revised and enhanced art program featuring more than 230 photos, illustrations, and tables

* A Companion Website at www.oup.com/us/blackmore offering links to online resources and new and emerging research; self-assessment exercises for students and instructors; and more information on the book's practices and exercises

Readership: Undergraduate or graduate-level Philosophy of Mind, Consciousness courses.

Susan Blackmore, Freelance writer, lecturer, and Visiting Professor, University of Plymouth

Susan Blackmore is a writer, lecturer, and Visiting Professor at the University of Plymouth, UK. She is the author of Conversations on Consciousness (2006), A Very Short Introduction to Consciousness (2005), and The Meme Machine (1999), all published by Oxford University Press.

*=New to this Edition
Preface:
Art Credits:
Boxes and sidebars:
Introduction
Section One. The Problem
1. What's the Problem?
2. What Is It Like To Be . . .?
3. Conscious and Unconscious?
Section Two. The World
4. The Theater of the Mind
5. Attention and Timing
6. The Grand Illusion
Section Three. The Self
7. Egos, Bundles, and Multiple Selves
8. Theories of Self
9. Agency and Free Will
Section Four. The Brain
10. The Neural Correlates of Consciousness
11. The Unity of Consciousness
12. Damaged Brains
Section Five. Evolution
13. The Evolution of Consciousness
14. The Function of Consciousness
15. Animal Minds
* Section Six. Artificial Consciousness
* 16. Minds and Machines
* 17. Could a Machine Be Conscious?
* 18. How to Build a Conscious Machine
Section Seven. Borderlands
19. Unconscious Processing
20. Reality and Imagination
21. The Paranormal
Section Eight. Altered States of Consciousness
22. Drugs and Altered States
23. Sleep, Dreams, and Hypnotic States
* 24. Exceptional Human Experience
Section Nine. First-Person Approaches
25. The View from Within
* 26. Meditation and Mindfulness
27. Waking Up
References:
Index:

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