The Consciousness Instinct by Michael S. Gazzaniga
Unraveling the Mystery of How the Brain Makes the Mind
This book argues that consciousness is a real, biologically grounded product of the brain rather than a mystical or dualist phenomenon, and it should be explained by neuroscience and evolution; drawing on split-brain studies and other research, it presents a modular view of mind in which specialized systems generate perceptions and an ‘‘interpreter’’ constructs a unified narrative, producing the experience of a continuous self. It emphasizes consciousness as an adaptive, socially shaped capacity that allows prediction, moral reasoning, and flexible behavior, and it discusses the ethical and legal implications of locating responsibility in brain processes while defending the usefulness of concepts like free will for society. The overall aim is to show how careful scientific inquiry can dissolve confusions about subjective experience and place consciousness within a naturalistic framework.
- Published
- 2018
- Nationality
- American
- Length
- Unknown
- Pages
- Unknown
- Original Language
- English
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