The Return of Consciousness: A New Science on Old Questions

Consciousness is a complex scientific problem with no widely accepted definition or approach. This re-issued collection of essays from 2016, featuring a new text by Dr. Christof Koch and an updated foreword by Kurt Almqvist, explores the latest developments in the field and is a landmark publication in the history of consciousness science. Contributing writers include prominent figures in the field.

Format: Hardback
Length: 280 pages
Publication date: 15 December 2022
Publisher: Stolpe Publishing

Consciousness is a complex and multifaceted scientific problem that has long been a subject of debate and discussion among scholars. Despite its importance, there is no universal agreement on its definition, and various approaches have been taken to study it. For many years, consciousness was largely ignored by academia, overshadowed by the dominance of behaviorism and cognitive science. However, in recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in consciousness, with a growing number of researchers and thinkers exploring its nature and implications. This resurgence has led to the publication of numerous books, articles, and conferences on the topic, and has helped to shape the direction of research in this field. One of the key challenges in studying consciousness is defining what it is. While there are many different definitions of consciousness, they generally fall into two categories: subjective and objective. Subjective consciousness refers to the experience of consciousness from the first-person perspective, while objective consciousness refers to the ability of an external observer to observe and measure consciousness. Another challenge in studying consciousness is determining how it relates to other aspects of the mind and brain. Some researchers argue that consciousness is a fundamental aspect of the mind that is responsible for all mental processes, while others suggest that it is just one aspect of the mind that is influenced by other factors. Despite these challenges, there have been significant advances in our understanding of consciousness in recent years. For example, neuroscience has made significant progress in understanding the neural mechanisms underlying consciousness, and cognitive science has developed new theories and models to explain how consciousness arises from the brain. In addition, there has been a growing interest in the ethical and philosophical implications of consciousness, with many researchers arguing that it has important implications for our understanding of human nature and the nature of reality. One of the key contributions to the study of consciousness in recent years has been the work of Dr. Christof Koch. Dr. Koch is a neuroscientist and philosopher who has been studying consciousness for over 30 years. In 2016, he published a new text that outlines the developments in the field since the original publication of his book "Consciousness: An Introduction" in 1998. The new text includes an updated foreword by Kurt Almqvist, a prominent philosopher of consciousness. The book provides a comprehensive overview of the field of consciousness science, covering topics such as the nature of consciousness, the neural mechanisms underlying consciousness, the ethical and philosophical implications of consciousness, and the relationship between consciousness and other aspects of the mind and brain. The book also includes contributions from a wide range of scholars and thinkers, including Susan Blackmore, Paul Broks, Amber D. Carpenter, Patricia Smith Churchland, Andy Clark, Owen Flanagan, Michael S. Gazzaniga, Sakari Kallio, Julian Kiverstein, Christoph Koch, Thomas Metzinger, Thomas Nagel, Antti Revonsuo, Nicholas D. Schiff, Anil K. Seth, Galen Strawson, Naotsugu Tsuchiya, Michael Tye, Max Velmans, and Marieke van Vugt. These contributors provide a diverse range of perspectives and insights into the study of consciousness, and their contributions help to shape the direction of research in this field. In conclusion, consciousness is a complex and multifaceted scientific problem that has long been a subject of debate and discussion among scholars. Despite its importance, there is no universal agreement on its definition, and various approaches have been taken to study it. However, in recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in consciousness, with significant advances in our understanding of the field. The work of Dr. Christof Koch and the contributions of other scholars and thinkers have played a crucial role in shaping the direction of research in this field, and their work continues to intrigue to this day.

Weight: 860g
Dimension: 240 x 170 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789189425835