Knowing, Doing, and Being: New Foundations for Consciousness Studies - Softcover

Clarke, Chris

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1845404556 ISBN 13: 9781845404550

Publisher: Imprint Academic, 2013

Synopsis

Between 1965 and 2002 several key lines of research emerged which, taken together, can potentially revolutionise our understanding of the place of consciousness in the universe. Two of these are crucial: first, the analyses of human mental processes by Barnard, and independently by McGilchrist, revealing two separate elements, one rational and one based on relationships; and, second, research by several workers linking quantum theory to consciousness in much greater detail than hitherto. Both of these investigations use an alternative logical system in order to make sense of the quantum/consciousness area. In this book the author explains the close connections between these new ingredients – connections which until now have barely been noticed. Using these insights the author set out a new foundation for consciousness studies in which consciousness is integrated with physics while retaining its qualitatively different character. Finally the book discusses how this affects our everyday approach to ecology, religion, and spiritual practice.

About this title

Review:

"In the spirit of the thinkers and experimenters whose ideas are mentioned in Knowing, Doing, and Being, Clarke has displayed a great breadth of knowledge in a book coursing in and out of neuroscience, quantum mechanics and philosophy."

Author: Gloria Nneoma Onwuneme Source: Bookbag Published On: 2013-12-30

"Most scientists would agree that two of the 'biggest' (and, ergo, the hardest) problems are (i) understanding the nature of consciousness; and (ii) understanding the fundamental conceptual structure that lies at the heart of matter in the guise of quantum theory. Of course that fact that 'consciousness’ and 'quantum theory’ are both very difficult does not of itself imply any connection between them. However, in practice the idea that quantum theory plays some role in consciousness has been around since the 1930s in one form or the other. Most physicists are very suspicious of such work and generally think that the subject died out some time ago. However, as the author shows in this most elegant and informative book, this is far from being the case. He gives a philosophically well-informed and balanced view of the existing literature before developing ideas of his own that are grounded in the well-known work by the psychologists Teasdale and Barnard on a sophisticated model of the human mind in action. I read Chris Clarke’s book with fascination and considerable admiration for the breadth of his knowledge of a wide range of subjects. I strongly recommend this text to anyone with an interest in the mind-body problem."

Author: Chris Isham, Emeritus Professor of Theoretical Physics

About the Author:

Chris Clarke gained his PhD in General Relativity at the University of Cambridge, later studying at Hamburg and York before taking up a Professorship in Applied Mathematics at the University of Southampton, leaving to work free-lance in 1999. Alongside his main work in theoretical cosmology he has published in brain physics, philosophy and religion, serving on various editorial boards including Journal of Physics A and Ecotheology.

About this edition

• Publisher: Imprint Academic
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1845404556
• ISBN 13: 9781845404550
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 220