Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

The research is fascinating. I did find myself having to concentrate to absorb the material and even having read it I’m not sure I understand it. I appreciate the knowledge and depth of the research and information but it was a bit dense for me.

Four stars for the depth of info. It may be easier for others to absorb this book than it was for me.

3.5-4 stars
Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book is about the nature of consciousness. I entered it thinking I had a decent understanding of what the prevailing idea of consciousness is. That is, that consciousness isn't any one process but a collection of processes that come together to produce what we perceive as consciousness. Having read this book, I don't think that was wrong per say, but it's also no quite right either. What is right is still a bit of a mystery to me.

Don't get me wrong, I think Seth does a good job of conveying consciousness, but the level of unknown relating to consciousness leads to some ambiguity. Nevertheless, I felt like Seth could have done a better job of focusing on the take away point. Perhaps the ambiguity was his intention considering it isn't the most refined science.

He seems to be focusing on this idea of the beast perception of consciousness. That is that consciousness is something that evolves as a valuable, if not necessary, trait for species like ourselves to survive. It seems to be the result of various inputs into the brain that lead to self recognition. That's why saying consciousness is a collage seems not quite right. Collage implies complexity, but Seth makes a point to stress that this is not necessarily to achieve consciousness. Intelligence is not necessarily to beget consciousness nor is intelligence necessary to beget consciousness.

The main point seems just to be that when the brain has the receptors allowing for the processing of ones self then consciousness will arise. He never says that exactly, and I kind of wish he was a bit more direct with what he was trying to say. But overall the book was really fascinating and enlightening.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. All of the opinions given are my own and have been given nothing for my review.

Intriguing Look At Evolving Science. Thirty years ago, if you asked someone to show you the scientific basis for consciousness - human or otherwise - they'd have laughed in your face because the concept was that much of a joke. Now, Seth is among the researchers actually pursuing the inquiry - and they've made some solid strides. In this text, Seth lays out what we now know via evidentiary science and can also posit via a range of philosophical approaches. He readily explains how both prongs of research feed off each other, and his explanations are sufficiently technically complicated to speak with some degree of precision... without being so technically complicated that you basically need to be working in his lab to understand a word of what he is saying. (Though don't get me wrong, even as someone with a BS in Computer Science and who reads similar books on consciousness, cognition, and perception a few times a year... this one was still technical enough that I readily admit I don't fully understand it, even now.) Absolutely a fascinating topic and a well written explanation of it from someone actively engaged in furthering the field, and it is very much recommended.