What We Are: The Physical Basis of Consciousness (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781733793117)

A mechanistic explanation for consciousness has long proved elusive to scientists and philosophers, with many researchers today even questioning the existence of the phenomenon. With What We Are, a new perspective has arrived. The theoretical framework presented in this book presents a plausible way to scientifically explain consciousness in terms of information processing.

This approach combines the laws of thermodynamics, mechanics, information theory, and neuroscience to offer a physical explanation for streaming perceptual experience, cognitive understanding, and volitional action. An exciting development in the field, this comprehensive new theory posits that consciousness is a non-deterministic computational process - with information encoded by neural activity, holographically projected as qualitative content, and compressed into meaning, as signals are extracted from noise.

A fascinating and provocative read, this book provides a useful background to the historical study of consciousness, introduces the new conceptual framework of Conifold Theory, clearly explains how this theory fits with the laws of physics and neuroscience, and finally, makes specific predictions so the theory can be tested. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the mind, the brain, and the connection between the two.