2020 Audie Finalist
As concise and enlightening as Seven Brief Lessons on Physics and Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, this mind-expanding dive into the mystery of consciousness is an illuminating meditation on the self, free will, and felt experience.
What is consciousness? How does it arise? And why does it exist? We take our experience of being in the world for granted. But the very existence of consciousness raises profound questions: Why would any collection of matter in the universe be conscious? How are we able to think about this? And why should we?
In this wonderfully accessible audiobook, Annaka Harris guides us through the evolving definitions, philosophies, and scientific findings that probe our limited understanding of consciousness. Where does it reside, and what gives rise to it? Could it be an illusion, or a universal property of all matter? As we try to understand consciousness, we must grapple with how to define it and, in the age of artificial intelligence, who or what might possess it.
Conscious offers lively and challenging arguments that alter our ideas about consciousness—allowing us to think freely about it for ourselves, if indeed we can.
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“Harris provides a thoughtful examination of a complex subject at the very core of existence, human and otherwise, that is well worth the mental effort required.”
— Publishers Weekly
“The clearest, most compelling explanation that I’ve seen of consciousness…Some fascinating insights await you in these pages.”
— Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author“This brief book challenges conventional ways of thinking about thinking and presents provocative alternatives…[with] fascinating insight.”
— Kirkus Reviews“Narrating with a steady pace and a clear tone…Harris’s accessible writing and calm narration facilitate learning and growth.”
— AudioFileBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Annaka Harris is an author, editor, and a consultant for science writers. She is the author of Conscious: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind, as well as the children’s book I Wonder. She is a collaborator on Susan Kaiser Greenland’s The Mindful Games Activity Cards, and her writing has appeared in the New York Times.