"The only tool we have with which to explore consciousness is consciousness itself, says Michael Pollan, a celebrated science journalist and author of the new book A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness. This conundrum—and how to potentially solve it—guides Pollan's examination of consciousness, highlighting both the science and the philosophical dilemma it poses."
"How we know we are conscious is likely impossible to fully explain using conventional neuroscience research methods such as brain scans, Pollan says. One of the speculations in the book is that it may take a scientific revolution to really help us, he says."
Michael Pollan explores consciousness as one of science's most challenging mysteries in his new book A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness. Consciousness—our awareness, ability to think, feel, and create—remains fundamentally mysterious despite our complex brains. The central paradox is that consciousness can only be studied using consciousness itself, creating an inherent limitation. Conventional neuroscience methods like brain scans cannot fully explain how we know we are conscious. Pollan suggests that understanding consciousness may require a scientific revolution rather than incremental advances within existing frameworks. The subjectivity of human experience further complicates scientific investigation into why we feel anything at all.
Read at www.scientificamerican.com
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