The User Illusion: Cutting Consciousness Down to SizeAs John Casti wrote, "Finally, a book that really does explain consciousness." This groundbreaking work by Denmark's leading science writer draws on psychology, evolutionary biology, information theory, and other disciplines to argue its revolutionary point: that consciousness represents only an infinitesimal fraction of our ability to process information. Although we are unaware of it, our brains sift through and discard billions of pieces of data in order to allow us to understand the world around us. In fact, most of what we call thought is actually the unconscious discarding of information. What our consciousness rejects constitutes the most valuable part of ourselves, the "Me" that the "I" draws on for most of our actions--fluent speech, riding a bicycle, anything involving expertise. No wonder that, in this age of information, so many of us feel empty and dissatisfied. As engaging as it is insightful, this important book encourages us to rely more on what our instincts and our senses tell us so that we can better appreciate the richness of human life. |
From inside the book
17 pages matching algorithmic information theory in this book
Where's the rest of this book?
Results 1-3 of 17
What people are saying - Write a review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - brikis98 - LibraryThingA spectacular book that has completely changed my understanding of the mind and consciousness. I poured through this 400 pages in just a few days - I couldn't set it down. The critical arguments in ... Read full review
THE USER ILLUSION: Cutting Consciousness Down to Size
User Review - Jane Doe - KirkusA leading Danish science writer argues that our conscious mental processes are only the surface aspect of the mind. N—rretranders begins with a history of information theory, leading up to a ... Read full review
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
activity algorithmic algorithmic information theory asked atoms awareness bandwidth behavior Benjamin Libet bits a second body brain Chris Langton complexity concept consciousness contains Copenhagen cortex describe discarded information disorder earth ence energy entropy everyday everything example exformation experience expressed fact feel Godel's half a second heat holism human Ibid idea information theory interesting Jaynes knowledge Kurt Godel Landauer language living look Ludwig Boltzmann macrostate mathematical matter Maxwell Maxwell's demon means measure mental Michael Laudrup mind molecules ness nonconscious notion nuclear object orig patients perceive person philosopher physicist physics picture planet precisely problem psychologist random readiness potential result Rolf Landauer scientific scientists sciousness second law sense sensory Seth Lloyd Shannon simple stimulation subliminal perception talk tell temperature thalamus thermodynamics things tion Turing unconscious understand universe user illusion words writes wrote Zurek
References to this book
Handbook of Social Comparison: Theory and Research Jerry Suls,Ladd Wheeler No preview available - 2000 |
Bibliographic information
| Title | The User Illusion: Cutting Consciousness Down to Size A Penguin book Penguin science |
| Author | Tor Nørretranders |
| Edition | illustrated, reprint |
| Publisher | Penguin, 1999 |
| ISBN | 0140230122, 9780140230123 |
| Length | 467 pages |
| Subjects | › Psychology / Cognitive Psychology Psychology / Cognitive Psychology & Cognition |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |