Conscious

New York Times Bestseller

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 book, 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.

An illuminating meditation on the self, free will, and felt experience, 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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PRAISE FOR CONSCIOUS

“CONSCIOUS offers the clearest, most compelling explanation that I’ve seen of consciousness. If you’ve ever wondered how you have the capacity to wonder, some fascinating insights await you in these pages.”

ADAM GRANT, AUTHOR OF ORIGINALS and GIVE AND TAKE

“The AI quest for artificial minds has transformed the mystery of consciousness into philosophy with a deadline. In this gem of a book, Annaka Harris tackles consciousness controversies with incisive rigor and clarity, in a style that’s accessible and captivating, yet never dumbed down.”

Max Tegmark, author of Life 3.0: Being Human in the age of Artificial intelligence

“Wild ideas are on the table—you’ll come away with an appreciation of the major conflicts and the high stakes that come with any attempt to understand how consciousness really works.”

SEAN CARROLL, author of THE BIG PICTURE

“There is a profound intellectual adventure awaiting the reader of this exquisite book.”

Rebecca Goldstein, author of Plato at the Googleplex

“I have read many, many great books on consciousness in my life as a neuroscientist. CONSCIOUS tops them all, hands down. It deals with unsolved questions and dizzying concepts with a graciousness and clarity that leaves the reader deeply satisfied.”

Marco Iacoboni, neuroscientist and author of Mirroring People

“A user’s guide to the scientific thinking on consciousness—delivering an assumption-shattering take on how we think about our mind, our self, and this very moment.”

Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence

“Harris holds a mirror up to ourselves and the reflection she casts is wondrously unfamiliar. In salient prose that intertwines science and philosophy, Harris turns her joyful curiosity on the nature of awareness. Every sentence of this book works upon the next, delving the reader deeper into an exploration of consciousness. While most books that contemplate the mysteries of the universe make one feel small in comparison, CONSCIOUS gives the reader an undeniable sense of presence.”