The Science of Consciousness
Waking, Sleeping and Dreaming

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

Trevor A. Harley (Author)

9781107563308, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 18 February 2021

448 pages
25.3 x 20.1 x 2.7 cm, 1.08 kg

'Finally, a brilliantly written, accessible, and accurate synthesis on one of science's biggest taboos: the study of consciousness. There is no topic avoided by Trevor Harley: animal versus machine consciousness, coma, psychedelics, meditation, our sense of self, even psychism, are all covered. It is the authoritative text all students and researchers have been waiting for.' Steven Laureys, University Hospital of Liège

Consciousness concerns awareness and how we experience the world. How does awareness, a feature of the mental world, arise from the physical brain? Is a dog conscious, or a jellyfish, and what explains the difference? How is consciousness related to psychological processes such as perception and cognition? The Science of Consciousness covers the psychology, philosophy, and neuroscience of consciousness. Written for introductory courses in psychology and philosophy, this text examines consciousness with a special emphasis on current neuroscience research as well as comparisons of normal and damaged brains. The full range of normal and altered states of consciousness, including sleep and dreams, hypnotic and meditative states, anesthesia, and drug-induced states, as well as parapsychological phenomena and their importance for the science of consciousness is covered, as well as the 'higher' states and how we can attain them. Throughout the text attempts to relate consciousness to the brain.

Preface
Part I. The Nature of Consciousness: 1. The Problem of Consciousness
2. The Mind-Body Problem
3. Do We Have Free Will?
4. Machine Consciousness
5. Animal Consciousness
Part II. The Workings of Consciousness: 6. Looking at our Own Minds
7. Self and Identity
8. Cognition and Consciousness
9. Perception and Consciousness
10. Consciousness and the Brain
Part III. Other States of Consciousness: 11. Altered States of Consciousness
12. Sleep
13. Dreams
14. Hypnosis
15. Drugs and Consciousness
16. Meditation and Transcendental Experiences
17. Parapsychology
18. Bringing it all Together
Glossaries
List of Abbreviations
References
Index.

Subject Areas: States of consciousness [JMT], Cognition & cognitive psychology [JMR], Physiological & neuro-psychology, biopsychology [JMM]