文档介绍：Preface
Reliable scientific evidence about consciousness direct evidence at present. Although no hypoth-
has often been di‰cult to find. This volume esis can be excluded a priori, this volume pre-
presents more than five dozen significant articles sents ideas for which we have reasonably direct
in the brain and cognitive sciences, all with a evidence today.
direct bearing on the subject. Our guiding idea
has been to select studies that ask, ‘‘What di¤er-
ence does consciousness make? What are its The Rediscovery of Consciousness
properties, and what role could it play in the
nervous system? How do conscious brain func- Because of the curious history of consciousness
tions di¤er from unconscious ones?’’ Among in the twentieth century, this most fundamental
the published articles that satisfy this standard human question has been oddly neglected. Yet
we have aimed for the most definitive, the pio- for decades now, the evidence has been mount-
neering, the most articulate, and the briefest. We ing in quantity and quality. The -
believe they are of fundamental importance. munity has responded with rising interest. After
We have thought especially about readers who almost a century of neglect, consciousness has
are new to this fast-growing literature. Wherever e a major focus for research. Each month
possible we have looked for good introductory new findings appear in leading journals. In the
articles, and our own introductions are ing century this new ferment is likely to
to highlight briefly why each one is important. reshape our understanding of mind and brain in
We are painfully aware that we have had to omit the most basic way.
many significant articles. Each selection should Consciousness has long been seen as central
therefore be considered a point of entry to a to the human condition, with a serious literature
larger body of published work. dating to the earliest written records from Asia
Although we emphasize breadth, we have not and the Fertil