Theatre of the Mind: Raising the Curtain on Consciousness

by Jay Ingram

Can we be conscious of our consciousness? What doesconsciousness feel like? Is it really a stream of steadily flowing thoughts,images and feelings, or something else altogether? What happens in those lapsesduring highway driving, in which you have no memory of the last 10 kilometres?How is it that most of what goes on in our brains is actually unconscious? And, in the end, do we even need our brain? Jay Ingram, renowned science broadcaster and bestselling author,takes us on his most challenging and controversial journey yet—a look at thestate of consciousness. Mixing science, philosophy, history and pop culture,Ingram transforms grey matter into a brilliantly hued, completely understandableexploration of what’s really going on in our conscious and unconscious minds.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Psychology, Philosophy, Brain

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Jay Ingram CM (born March 20, 1945) is a Canadian author and broadcaster. He was host of the television show Daily Planet (originally titled @discovery.ca), which airs on Discovery Channel Canada, since the channel's inception in 1995. Ingram's last episode of Daily Planet aired on June 5, 2011. Ingram announced his retirement but stated he will make guest appearances on Daily Planet. He was succeeded by Dan Riskin. His book The End of Memory: A Natural History of Aging and Alzheimer’s is forthcoming from St. Martin's Press in 2015.

Reviews

[Siebo11 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely enjoyable read if you are interested in the subject matter. Whenever I read something that I found interesting as a discussion starter with friends and family I dog eared the page. Pretty soon I was dog earing every other page and said to myself, this is a good book. My only criticism is that it didn't delve very deeply into any one aspect of consciousness, more of an introduction into consciousness studies. But maybe that's why it was such an enjoyable read.

[Dar]

Very user-friendly intro by a popular science writer/broadcaster. Follow it up with Susan Blackmore's Consciousness: an Introduction.

[Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

- from the jacket: "Have you ever been driving down the highway and suddenly realized that you have no memory of the last few miles? Why does it seem to take so much longer to get there than to get back? ...Theatre Of The Mind is a mind-bending experience, a cerebral, stylish ride through the history, philosophy, and science of the brain, and the search for the discovery of the self."
- Ingram tackles 'consciousness studies' with wit, clarity, style, and intelligence.

[Brent · Rating 4 out of 5]

We have very little definitive and reliable information about the human brain and more importantly, the mind. This book has a strange effect on me, particularly the sections pertaining to split brain patients.

[Ksu · Rating 4 out of 5]

blows your mind!

[Alastair Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating read

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book on consciousness. Offers a survey more than his own thesis, and much easier to read than Blackmore,

[Edgaras · Rating 4 out of 5]

Įdomi.