Conscious: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind

Written by Annaka Harris

Narrated by Annaka Harris

2020 Audie Finalist 

As concise and enlightening as Seven Brief Lessons on Physics and Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, this mind-expanding dive into the mystery of consciousness is an illuminating meditation on the self, free will, and felt experience.

What is consciousness? How does it arise? And why does it exist? We take our experience of being in the world for granted. But the very existence of consciousness raises profound questions: Why would any collection of matter in the universe be conscious? How are we able to think about this? And why should we?

In this wonderfully accessible audiobook, Annaka Harris guides us through the evolving definitions, philosophies, and scientific findings that probe our limited understanding of consciousness. Where does it reside, and what gives rise to it? Could it be an illusion, or a universal property of all matter? As we try to understand consciousness, we must grapple with how to define it and, in the age of artificial intelligence, who or what might possess it.

Conscious offers lively and challenging arguments that alter our ideas about consciousness—allowing us to think freely about it for ourselves, if indeed we can.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Jun 4, 2019
• ISBN: 9780062930910

Annaka Harris

Annaka Harris is the author of CONSCIOUS: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind. She is an editor and consultant for science writers, specializing in neuroscience and physics, whose work has appeared in the New York Times. Annaka is the author of the children's book I Wonder, a collaborator on the Mindful Games Activity Cards by Susan Kaiser Greenland, and a volunteer mindfulness teacher for the Inner Kids organization. She lives with her husband, the neuroscientist, author, and podcaster Sam Harris, and their two children. annakaharris.com

Reviews for Conscious

[Kyfer James Cooper · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

2 hours of fundamnetally important knowledge, equivalent to 300 hundred hours of Sam Harris' podcast. Stunning.

[PawanDharamthok · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I felt most of the work is on unanswered questions and clue and thesis from others work

[Heavens · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was hesitant to listen at first because I thought I know too little about the subject but Annaka's deliverance was great for almost any reader regardless of their expertise. Well done. I am glad to say my knowledge on the subject has just increased and I have been sparked to read more on the subject matters.

[liv Toepfer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fascinating contemplation...leaving me in wonder and awe! I listened to the Rich Roll podcast and immediately needed to read this book and loved every bit of it! Thank you!

[Arjun Sagar · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good insights on consciousness, very intuitive read to understand the consciousness from all angles

[Milan Znamenáček · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great brief overview on the topic of consciousness, nicely put in order to understand, audio version from Annaka herself is lovely to listen.

[Carissa · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a great overview of the current thoughts and research on the topic of consciousness. I think the author, Annaka Harris, did a great job of presenting the current case for considering panpsychism as a possibility. Also, Annaka's voice was great to listen to! I'd love to hear more audio books voiced by her.

[Paige McLoughlin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

the most interesting and original book I have come across all year.

[8B3Y1S5D1A2T · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very interesting listen, consciousness is a total mind fck. ?

[Sam Donoghue · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's a good book but I think it's better to read it instead of listening to it.

[Agata · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Stimulating discussion but sometimes confusing a bit. Some arguments are just speculative.

[Fraggle Rawk · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A wonderful, insightful and well-researched book on mystery of consciousness.

[Jan Michelle · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Poses good questions for us to think about.

[Dana Horton · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Definitely worth the time. Harris provides the right amount of detail to help understand consciousness from a scientific view. But she also is an advocate of the idea that everything contains a form of consciousness — albeit not the way we might think of it typically.

[caroline · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's interesting. I like the part about the parasites and the cat and rat the best. Got me to really think about it

[mjeexd · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Best introduction to the hard problem of consciousness and why it’s a problem

[Michelle · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very interesting thought experiments if you dive deeply. I really enjoyed it.

[CARLO POPUCHET · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent!!!!! And very informative to whom like me trying to understand human nature.

[Yulya Red'kina · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Poses interesting questions, but leave a lot of room for further research and exploration.

[Shay Templeton · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Some interesting personal thoughts and ideas.. but seems more fantasy based than a source that brings actual clarity to the understanding of what consciousness might be. Coming from someone who is open to reality not always fitting perfectly within “science.”) I was a bit disappointed.

[steve02476 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Nice little book about a tricky subject. Too much about panpsychism though in my opinion.

Also, I’m not sure I agree with her use of Nagel’s definition of consciousness - but I appreciate that she did use a standard definition and her musings about it were thought-provoking.

[Marjorie bishop · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I listen to the audio. A well thought out book and easy to understand. Though it does challenge some basic instincts about what you think about consciousness. Her voice is really soothing. There were times I had to rewind cause I did become so relaxed by her voice I wandered off. Great book.