Soul Dust by Nicholas Humphrey
The Magic of Consciousness
This work argues that subjective experience is an evolved “magic show” the brain stages for itself, imbuing sensations with vivid qualia and a glow of selfhood that makes life feel uniquely meaningful. Framing consciousness as an adaptive enchantment rather than a byproduct, it proposes that this privately felt richness enhances survival by boosting motivation, self-worth, and social engagement. Drawing on neuroscience, psychology, and case studies, it explores why we feel like immaterial selves, how phenomena like near-death and mystical experiences arise, and how art and religion tap into the same phenomenal allure.
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- Published
- 2011
- Nationality
- British
- Length
- Unknown
- Pages
- Unknown
- Original Language
- English
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