Philosophy and Ideas
Consciousness seems otherworldly, but is created by the brain, probably to monitor brain responses. It evolved as it gives life meaning and enjoyment and so encourages us to live. We value our pure being, the enchanted external world that our brains create and our essentially private souls.
A thought-provoking and rather beautiful discussion that sees consciousness as having evolved to motivate us by being attractive and meaningful. Consciousness is seen as a monitoring of reactions, with its otherworldly character a brain-created illusion. Our brains make the world seem to us as an enchanted place and make us value our private inner worlds. Although the book starts with a suggestion about the nature of consciousness, its larger theme is the value of consciousness. In style it is literary and passionate rather than thorough and dry, which makes it an enjoyable and worthwhile read.