A World Appears

Michael Pollan starts his book by describing a 1998 wager between Koch and Chalmers. The wager was that in 25 years Koch and his other brilliant scientists would find the physical footprint of consciousness in the brain. Koch ended up losing the bet and he is still searching. He then ends his book with the quote, "I open my eyes and a world appears". However, he says at the end of the previous chapter "that after my five-year journey into nature and workings of consciousness, I somehow knew less than I did when I started." To which Koch says, "but that's good, that's progress.

Throughout the book, the author refers to "the big question" of what is consciousness. The book is arranged by chapters titled Sentience, Feeling, Thought, Self, and The Cave. Sentience tells us that most every living thing has senses and reminded me of the book "Overstory" concerning trees. Feelings get into "the hard problem" of pain, suffering, pleasure and life and death. Feelings come from the brain, the brain stem, and even the gut. Next, he gets into thoughts and experiences and the "really hard problem" of who am I and what am I thinking. Descartes said, "I think, therefore I am". Phenomenology is the study of consciousness as the object of direct experience. Then there are both conscious and unconscious thoughts to consider. Finally, the author explores self as it relates to consciousness. He explores childhood development, the concept of self-confidence, and the role in western society. The idea of a spotlight and exploitation verses a lantern and exploration. In "The Cave", he explores meditation, Buddhism, and psychedelic drugs as vehicles for transcending from oneself. No matter how you look at it, we are all very complicated creatures with our own set of neurons, experiences, and memories.

This was definitely one tough read.

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