Soul Dust : The Magic of Consciousness / Nicholas Humphrey.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Humphrey, Nicholas, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Consciousness.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (256 p.)

Edition:

Course Book

Place of Publication:

Princeton, NJ : Princeton University Press, [2011]

Language Note:

English

Summary:

How is consciousness possible? What biological purpose does it serve? And why do we value it so highly? In Soul Dust, the psychologist Nicholas Humphrey, a leading figure in consciousness research, proposes a startling new theory. Consciousness, he argues, is nothing less than a magical-mystery show that we stage for ourselves inside our own heads. This self-made show lights up the world for us and makes us feel special and transcendent. Thus consciousness paves the way for spirituality, and allows us, as human beings, to reap the rewards, and anxieties, of living in what Humphrey calls the "soul niche.? Tightly argued, intellectually gripping, and a joy to read, Soul Dust provides answers to the deepest questions. It shows how the problem of consciousness merges with questions that obsess us all--how life should be lived and the fear of death. Resting firmly on neuroscience and evolutionary theory, and drawing a wealth of insights from philosophy and literature, Soul Dust is an uncompromising yet life-affirming work--one that never loses sight of the majesty and wonder of consciousness.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Invitation

Prelude

1. Coming-to Explained

Part One

2. Being "Like Something"

3. Sentitition

4. Looping the Loop

Part two

5. So What?

6. Being There

7. The Enchanted World

8. So That Is Who I Am!

9. Being Number One

Part Three

10. Entering the Soul Niche

11. Dangerous Territory

12. Cheating Death

Envoi

Acknowledgments

Notes

Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 217-238) and index.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 08. Jul 2019)

ISBN:

9786613001320

9781283001328

1283001322

9781400838073

140083807X

OCLC:

705945458