Aspects Of Consciousness

Throughout the ages, the mysteries of what happens when we die and the nature of the human mind have fascinated us. In this collection of essays, leading scientists and authors contemplate consciousness, quantum mechanics, string theory, dimensions, space and time, nonlocal space, the hologram, and the effect of death on consciousness. Although many of these topics have traditionally been considered matters for philosophical and religious debate, advances in modern science and in particular the science of resuscitation have now enabled an objective, scientific approach--which bears widespread implications not only for science but for all of humanity.

What is it for you to be conscious? There is no consensus in philosophy or science: it has remained a mystery. Ted Honderich develops a brand new theory of consciousness, according to which perceptual consciousness is external to the perceiver. It exists in a subjective physical world dependent on both you and the objective physical world.

An introduction to the psychology, philosophy, and neuroscience of consciousness, including sleep, dreaming, meditative, and altered states.

Can neurophysiology ever reveal to us what it is like to smell a skunk or to experience pain? In what does the feeling of happiness consist? How is it that changes in the white and gray matter composing our brains generate subjective sensations and feelings? These are several of the questions that Michael Tye addresses, while formulating a new and enlightening theory about the phenomenal "what it feels like" aspect of consciousness. The test of any such theory, according to Tye, lies in how well it handles ten critical problems of consciousness. Tye argues that all experiences and all feelings represent things, and that their phenomenal aspects are to be understood in terms of what they represent. He develops this representational approach to consciousness in detail with great ingenuity and originality. In the book's first part Tye lays out the domain, the ten problems and an associated paradox, along with all the theories currently available and the difficulties they face. In part two, he develops his intentionalist approach to consciousness. Special summaries are provided in boxes and the ten problems are illustrated with cartoons. A Bradford Book Representation and Mind series

In this new edition of her 1978 "Adventures In Consciousness", Roberts sets out to account for an entire range of nonscientific phenomena (events for which science has found no official proof). What emerges is Roberts' theory of Aspect Psychology: nothing less than a revolutionary view of the human personality. Taking up where Seth left off, "Adventures In Consciousness" encompasses and explains the full, incredibly versatile, multi-dimensional range of the normal human psyche.

In Consciousness and the Limits of Objectivity Robert J. Howell argues that the options in the debates about consciousness and the mind-body problem are more limited than many philosophers have appreciated. Unless one takes a hard-line stance, which either denies the data provided by consciousness or makes a leap of faith about future discoveries, one must admit that no objective picture of our world can be complete. Howell argues, however, that this is consistent with physicalism, contrary to received wisdom. After developing a novel, neo-Cartesian notion of the physical, followed by a careful consideration of the three major anti-materialist arguments—Black's 'Presentation Problem', Jackson's Knowledge Argument, and Chalmers' Conceivability Argument—Howell proposes a 'subjective physicalism' which gives the data of consciousness their due, while retaining the advantages of a monistic, physical ontology.

Shelley Weinberg argues that the idea of consciousness as a form of non-evaluative self-awareness runs through and helps to solve some of the thorniest issues in Locke's philosophy: in his philosophical psychology and in his theories of knowledge, personal identity, and moral agency. Central to her account is that perceptions of ideas are complex mental states wherein consciousness is a constituent. Such an interpretation answers charges of inconsistency in Locke's model of the mind and lends coherence to a puzzling aspect of Locke's theory of knowledge: how we know individual things (particular ideas, ourselves, and external objects) when knowledge is defined as the perception of an agreement, or relation, of ideas. In each case, consciousness helps to forge the relation, resulting in a structurally integrated account of our knowledge of particulars fully consistent with the general definition. This model also explains how we achieve the unity of consciousness with past and future selves necessary for Locke's accounts of moral responsibility and moral motivation. And with help from other of his metaphysical commitments, consciousness so interpreted allows Locke's theory of personal identity to resist well-known accusations of circularity, failure of transitivity, and insufficiency for his theological and moral concerns. Although virtually every Locke scholar writes on at least some of these topics, the model of consciousness set forth here provides for an analysis all of these issues as bound together by a common thread.

One of the nation's leading neuroscientists presents a radically new view of the function of the brain and the nervous system. Its central idea is that the nervous system in each individual operates as a selective system resembling natural selection in evolution, but operating by different mechanisms. This far-ranging theory of brain functions is bound to stimulate renewed discussion of such philosophical issues as the mind-body problem, the origins of knowledge and the perceptual bases of language. Notes and Index.

This book provides a practical step-by-step guide to soul activation. This four step process involves: Connecting with your soul; Befriending your soul; Trusting your soul; Becoming one with your soul. You are a soul in a human body but your ego is unaware of this. To fully step into soul consciousness, you must learn how to align the beliefs of your ego with the values of your soul, and commit to leading a values and purpose-driven life. The ultimate arbiter of where you have got to on your journey into soul consciousness is the quality of the connections you have with other people-not just your family and friends, but the strangers around you. Every person you meet is a soul who is working on the same project as you-promoting the evolution of human consciousness. Rejoice in your common heritage and purpose by connecting with them wherever you are and whenever you can. When you fully realize who you are, you will understand that in caring for others, you are caring for yourself.