Consciousness ─ A User's Guide

In this thought-provoking book, neurologist Adam Zeman offers an enlightening view of consciousness seen through the lenses of science and philosophy, enhancing his discussion with case studies of neurological patients and observations of young children’s expanding mental worlds.

“An articulate . . . neurologist . . . covers many aspects of consciousness for general readers. His treatment of the disorders of knowledge is superb. If you were intrigued with The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, you’ll appreciate [the book’s] buildup to what Oliver Sacks described in that work. . . . Approachable and instructive.”—William H. Calvin, New York Times Book Review

“A grand tour of the terrain of consciousness, as viewed from neuroscientific and philosophical perspectives.”—Colin Beer, Quarterly Review of Biology

“[Zeman] is uniquely qualified to write this particular book, whose chief merit is that it provides a summary of the current state of play in neurobiology, psychology, and philosophy. . . . A very useful book.”—John R. Searle, Los Angeles Times Book Review