Essential Sources in the Scientific Study of Consciousness: (Bradford Books)

Consciousness is at the very core of the human condition. Yet only in recent decades has it become a major focus in the brain and behavioural sciences. Scientists now know that consciousness involves many levels of brain functioning, from brainstem to cortex. The almost 70 articles in this book reflect the breadth and depth of this burgeoning field. The many topics covered include consciousness in vision and inner speech, immediate memory and attention, waking, dreaming, coma, the effects of brain damage, fringe consciousness, hypnosis, and dissociation. Underlying all the selections are the questions, What difference does consciousness make? What are its properties? What role does it play in the nervous system? How do conscious brain functions differ from unconscious ones? The focus of the book is on scientific evidence and theory. The editors have also chosen introductory articles by leading scientists to allow a wide variety of new readers to gain insight into the field.

About the Author :
Bernard J. Baars is Institute Faculty Professor at the Wright Institute, Berkeley, California. The late James B. Newman was a member of the Department of Psychology of the Colorado Neurological Institute.

Review :
"Baars, Banks, and Newman have assembled the most important scientific work on consciousness of the last few decades, from modern classics to ground-breaking research. There is hardly a pivotal work or central topic not represented in this comprehensive volume. Nobody now working on consciousness will want to be without this splendid collection, both for the work it contains and the balanced, thoughtful overview it affords."--David M. Rosenthal, Philosophy and Cognitive Science, City University of New York, Graduate CenterPlease note: Quote may not be shortened or changed. "This book does not simply serve as an invaluable resource for researchers in cognitive psychology, cognitive neuroscience, emotion, personality psychology, motivation, perception, social psychology, and related fields--it also defines the new field of social neuroscience in the most effective way, by example. No library should be without this superb collection."--Stephen M. Kosslyn, John Lindsley Professor of Psychology in Memory of William James, Harvard University "Noe and Thompson have assembled the most important modern philosophical classics on visual perception together with some recent cutting-edge philosophical and scientific work. The result is a model of what an anthology should be--at once a fine instructional text and a first-rate research and reference tool."--David M. Rosenthal, Philosophy and Cognitive Science, City University of New York, Graduate CenterPlease note: Note that there should be an umlaut over the e in Noe's name. Thanks. "The revised *Handbook* is an extraordinarily valuable resource for psychologists, neuroscientists, and all others interested in the ways that neuroimaging is illuminating the relation between mind and brain. An enormous amount of ground is covered in these articles, and they provide a systematic review and integration of the field. Students, teachers, and researchers in many fields have a lot to gain from the rich overview of theory and findings in these pages."--Stephen M. Kosslyn, John Lindsley Professor of Psychology in Memory of William James, Harvard University