t may seem a little odd to be referencing what is essentially a psychology textbook in a philosophy blog, but this was one of the earliest books I read that first introduced me to the field of consciousness, and I still recommend it when it comes to unpacking the scientific perspectives of epistemology. And you have to keep in mind (no pun intended) that it is a very scientific perspective; as Blackmore puts it herself — “ why are we so deluded into imagining our selves as something separate that controls our brain?”

In saying that, this is a book that is used in the study of consciousness and therefore the questions, further reading and exercises are very useful in helping with the topic, and it isn’t limited to just a single theoretical approach. There’s a great range of major theories, including Eastern Philosophy (which as I mentioned previously, doesn’t often get much coverage in mainstream philosophy), discussions on neuroscience and mystical experiences and so on. It covers free will, even lucid dreaming and superstitions and what they tell us about the mind.

Particularly useful are the discussions about ethical considerations of animals and their place in the world as thinking creatures, and the influence of technology on what we might consider to have a ‘brain’ or not. It’s a great introductory text that encourages you to look further into the bigger issues.

I have the first edition of the book, but it has been revised since then; you can also find a “short introduction” book on the same topic as well.