Being You: A New Science of Consciousness

Anil Seth's radical new theory of consciousness challenges our understanding of perception and reality, doing for brain science what Dawkins did for evolutionary biology. 'A brilliant beast of a book. Seth proposes to explain not just what and how we are, but why we are the way we are. Hugely inspirational.' DAVID BYRNE 'Insightful and profound. The nature of consciousness is still one of the hardest problems in science, but Anil Seth brings us closer than ever before to the answer. This a hugely important book.' JIM AL-KHALILI 'Anil Seth thinks clearly and sharply on one of the hardest problems of science and philosophy, cutting through weeds with a scientist's mind and a storyteller's skill.' ADAM RUTHERFORD 'Seth provokes us to think about thinking . . . readable, relatable, and gripping.' ALEX GARLAND, director of Ex Machina Being You is not as simple as it sounds. Somehow, within each of our brains, billions of neurons work to create our conscious experience. How does this happen? Why do we experience life in the first person? After over twenty years researching the brain, world-renowned neuroscientist Anil Seth puts forward a radical new theory of consciousness and self. His unique theory of what it means to 'be you' challenges our understanding of perception and reality and it turns what you thought you knew about yourself on its head. 'A fascinating book. A joy to read. Anil Seth explores fundamental questions about consciousness and the self from the perspective of a philosophically-informed neuroscientist. Highly recommended.' NIGEL WARBURTON 'Offers a new cause for astonishment and wonder . . . a must-read for anyone seeking a better understanding of the brain and how nature sculpts the human exprerience.' ANNAKA HARRIS, author of Conscious 'Few people are as well positioned as Anil Seth to tackle the question of consciousness. Beautifully written, crystal clear, deeply insightful.' DAVID EAGLEMAN, Pulitzer Prize-nominated author of Livewired 'Truly compe