Philosophers on consciousness : talking about the mind / edited by Jack Symes ; assistant editor, Casey Logue.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Illustrations -- Contributors -- Acknowledgements -- Preface -- 1 Why consciousness matters -- 2 The grand illusion -- 3 The hard problem -- 4 A change of heart -- 5 The given -- 6 A biologist's perspective -- 7 The Hornswoggle problem -- 8 Illusionism -- 9 Closing the theater -- 10 The denial -- 11 Galileo's error -- 12 The world as consciousness -- Notes and sources -- Index

"We know, more intimately than anything else, what it's like to undergo a rich world of experiences: agonizing pains, dizzying pleasures, heady rage and existential doubts. But, despite the incredible advances of physical science, it seems that we're no closer to an explanation of how this inner world of experiences comes about. No matter how detailed our description of the physical brain, perhaps we'll always be left with this same question: how and why does the brain produce consciousness? This book is a short, accessible and engaging guide to the mystery of consciousness. Featuring remastered interviews and original essays from the world's leading thinkers, Philosophers on Consciousness sheds new light on the most promising theories in philosophy and science. Beyond understanding the mind, this is a journey into personal identity, the origin of meaning, the nature of morality and the fundamental structure of reality"-- Provided by publisher.