Product Description

The study of conscious experience has seen remarkable strides in the last ten years, reflecting important technological breakthroughs and the enormous efforts of researchers in disciplines as varied as neuroscience, cognitive science, and philosophy. Although still embroiled in debate, scientists are now beginning to find common ground in their understanding of consciousness, which may pave the way for a unified explanation of how and why we experience and understand the world around us.Written by eminent psychologist Bernard J. Baars, In the Theater of Consciousness: The Workspace of the Mind brings us to the frontlines of this exciting discipline, offering the general reader a fascinating overview of how top scientists currently understand the processes underlying conscious experience. Combining psychology with brain science, Baars brilliantly brings his subject to life with a metaphor that has been used to understand consciousness since the time of Aristotle--the mind astheater. Here consciousness is seen as a "stage" on which our sensations, perceptions, thoughts, and feelings play to a vast, silent audience (the immensely complicated inner-workings of the brain's unconscious processes). Behind the scenes, silent context operators shape conscious experience; they include implicit expectations, self systems, and scene setters. Using this framework, Baars presents compelling evidence that human consciousness rides on top of biologically ancient mechanisms. In humans it manifests itself in inner speech, imagery, perception, and voluntary control of thought and action. Topics like hypnosis, absorbed states of mind, adaptation to trauma, and the human propensity to project expectations on uncertainty, all fit into the expanded theater metaphor. As Baars explores our present understanding of the mind, he takes us to the top laboratories around the world, where we witness some of the field's most exciting breakthroughs and discoveries. (For instance, Baars recounts one extraordinary sequence of experiments, in which state-of-the-art PET scans--reproduced here in full color--capture in fascinating, graphic detail how brain activity changes as people learn how to play the computer game Tetris.) And throughout the book, Baars has sprinkled numerous and often highly amusing on-the-spot demonstrations that illuminate the ideas under discussion. Understanding consciousness is perhaps the most difficult puzzle facing the sciences today. In the Theater of Consciousness offers an invaluable introduction to the field, brilliantly weaving together the various theories that have emerged as scientists continue their quest to uncover the profound mysteries of the mind--and of human nature itself.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1189469 in Books
• Published on: 1999-04-30
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: 1.05 pounds
• Binding: Hardcover
• 210 pages

Review
"An impressive tour, centered around the question of what we might be able to discover scientifically regarding the role played by conscious experience in the functioning of the mind."--Brian D. Josephson, Nobel Laureate in Physics

"No one has contributed more to the rebirth of consciousness research than Bernard Baars. His latest book explains the gist of Global Workspace theory, and extends it in many new directions--from recent findings in brain research to the subtle world of our phenomenology. Like William James, Baars gets to the heart of an issue quickly and with a minimum of technical fuss. And like James, Baars is not afraid of the big picture. Anyone curious about the study of consciousness today should look carefully at In the Theater of Consciousness."--Bruce Mangan, Institute of Cognitive Studies, University of California, Berkeley

"The most accessible scientific introduction to consciousness studies available. Baars has written a disciplined, systematic book that gives structure to a traditionally amorphous field."--Gordon Globus, University of California, Irvine

"The cognitive revolution a generation ago restored mind as a legitimate object of study--the brain was no longer to be a behaviorist black box. Today, even more adventuresome, we are again studying consciousness as a researchable empirical phenomenon. Bernard Baars provides us with an exciting account of what we know about consciousness and its functions in thought, rescuing this topic from the speculations of philosophy and placing it solidly in the realm of empirical study."--Herbert A. Simon, Nobel Laureate, Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Psychology and Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University

"Baars...conveys a palpable excitement in demonstrating recent strides in understanding 'the publicity organ of the brain." Whether he's quoting and lovingly explicating James and others at length, or discussing and demonstrating the nuances of tip-of-the-tongue syndrome or blindsight, his enthusiasm will motivate anyone who has already long forgotten fresh psych to 'make your own theory,' as the appendix invites us to do."--Publishers Weekly

Ingram
Using entertaining examples of the mind in action, an eminent psychologist explores current scientific theories of the mind and shows how consciousness works like a stage in which thoughts and perceptions are examined by an inner audience. UP.

From the Publisher
18 illus.