Essential sources in the scientific study of consciousness.

This volume, by Baars, Banks, Newman, is easily the cornerstone of a professional library on the scientific study of consciousness. In it are found no less than 68 articles, both theoretical pieces and research reports, that represent seminal contributions as well as contemporary offerings to this burgeoning field. The articles are organized into topics such as consciousness in vision, consciousness and memory, attention, sensory events below the threshold of awareness, states of consciousness, “fringe” processes, and so on. The themes of these articles range from historical considerations of the work of William James to contemporary MEG studies of brain correlates of perception.

Needless to say, the scientific study of consciousness is given short shrift in most university psychology programs, graduate and undergraduate alike. Essential Sources is an excellent starting point Those of us who teach or direct introductory courses in psychology are all too familiar with the patchwork mediocrity of virtually every introductory textbook when it comes to the now-obligatory chapter on “consciousness.” The inquisitions of behaviorism were bad enough, but the second rate mush found in these chapters is, in its own way, even worse, because it gives one so little to stand against! I personally believe that this situation will not entirely change until the present generation of academic psychologists are in their graves. But in the meantime, and for the benefit of the next generation, books such as this one are essential.

In this vein, I would say that Essential Sources is an excellent starting point for any new library on the scientific study of consciousness, personal or professional. It includes a dazzling array of classic titles such as Hemisphere Disconnection and Unity in Conscious Awareness, by Roger Sperry, The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two: Some Limits on Our Capacity for Information Processing, By George Miller, Information Available in Brief Visual Presentations, by George Sperling, and Brain Stem Reticular Formation and Activation of the EEG, by G. Moruzzi and H.W. Magoun. A whole course in the history of research on conscious and the brain could easily be taught right out of this volume. In fact, it is nothing less than a small encyclopedia on the scientific study of consciousness.

As far as I can see, Essential Sources has only two limitations, and both are pretty much unavoidable. The first is that few articles date past 1999. Well, it is difficult to know what will be a classic when it is first published. More important, however, it is nearly impossible to put together any substantial book that is completely up to date. Essential Sources has only two limitations, and both are pretty much unavoidable Too much time is required for assembling and editing, while the clock inevitably ticks away. The second is that this collection leans toward cognitive and neuroscience approaches to the study of consciousness, omitting other approaches. The authors are forthright about this, correctly noting that one can only do so much, and a collection that included contributions from phenomenology, philosophy of mind, transpersonal psychology, cultural anthropology, and so on, would require another five or ten volumes the size of this one.

I think it safe to say that this book was a classic in the scientific study of consciousness the day it was published. It is highly recommended for any serious student or professional interested in this field.

Allan Combs

Saybrook Graduate School

January 24, 2005