The Race for Consciousness (A Bradford Book) [Hardcover]

John G. Taylor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2, 1999 | ISBN-10: 0262201151 | ISBN-13: 978-0262201155 | Edition: 1

There is a sense among scientists that the time is finally ripe for the problem of consciousness to be solved once and for all. The development of new experimental and theoretical tools for probing the brain has produced an atmosphere of unparalleled optimism that the job can now be done properly: The race for consciousness is on!In this book, John Taylor describes the complete scene of entries, riders, gamblers, and racecourses. He presents his own entry into the race, which he has been working on for the past twenty-five years--the relational theory of consciousness, according to which consciousness is created through the relations between brain states, especially those involving memories of personal experiences. Because it is an ongoing and adaptive process, consciousness emerges from past brain activity. It is this highly subtle and delicate process of emergence that leads to the complexity of consciousness. Taylor does not just present another theory of consciousness, but makes comprehensible the nuts-and-bolts methodology behind the myriad attempts to win the race.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Incorporating centuries of thought and decades of research into one model of consciousness is no easy feat, but neural network guru John Taylor puts it all together in The Race for Consciousness. Suggesting early on that no scientific endeavor has ever succeeded without a clear goal in sight, he takes care to specify the aims he thinks consciousness researchers should have in mind when pursuing their work; his definitions and boundaries, while not uncontroversial, are thought-provoking. From there he outlines previous stabs at theories and is unrelenting in exposing their strengths and weaknesses.

Taylor builds a theory of his own on this sturdy foundation--he proposes a relational model in which interactions between different brain states inevitably create the subjective feeling that we call consciousness. His command of the field of research is impressive, drawing on physics, computer science, philosophy, biology, and medicine, but he is always scrupulous when acknowledging gaps in the data or potential challenges to his ideas. The reader must be prepared to be flexible and patient; Taylor's ideas take time to build and his model is much stronger for it. The rewards of persistence are rich, though--this just might be the groundbreaking work from which our next scientific Renaissance grows. Taylor admits he has only taken the first step toward his goal, but expects there to be many more runners in the race for consciousness. --Rob Lightner

From Publishers Weekly

As technology leaps forward, scientists and philosophers inch closer to a comprehensive definition of perhaps the most illusive ontological term: human consciousness. Taylor, emeritus professor and director of the Centre for Neural Networks at Kings College in London, has pursued the definition of mind for the last quarter century. In this sophisticated volume, he explores the latest developments in competing theories as a handicapper might detail the pros and cons of various thoroughbreds in a championship horse race. First stating the parameters of the study of consciousness, Taylor analyzes both the physiological structure of the brain and the subtleties of its neurological electro-chemistry. The reciprocal psychological categories of experience, thought and emotion are also addresed. Human consciousness so constructed includes thinking, feeling and willing. An apt quotation from a poet, scientist, theologian or philosopher introduces each chapter and focuses attention on the step-by-step historical development of various theories concerning the mind. The author draws from contemporary masters in the arcane reaches of neural networks and computer simulation of brain structures, but doesn't neglect "classical" sources like Freud and Piaget, when their work is relevant to the continuing debate. While the topic is esoteric, and his discussion sometimes hard going for the lay reader, Taylor avoids the obfuscation of professional jargon and makes a case for his own favorite theory, relational consciousness, by which "consciousness arises through evocation of past memories and their intermingling with present input." This theory, he asserts, is capable of both empirical and mathematical proof, necessities for any satisfactory scientific definition. 20 illustrations. (July)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 392 pages
• Publisher: A Bradford Book; 1 edition (July 2, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0262201151
• ISBN-13: 978-0262201155
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,400,341 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars some objections, but also some praise., October 14, 2001

By 

Carlos Camara "marrorris2" (Monterrey, Mexico) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Race for Consciousness (Paperback)

O.K, I have tried to review this philosophically and have edited the result many times. I will now base my critiques on some evidence. First, Taylor proposes that posterior consciousness (phenomenal) emerges from circuits all in posterior cortex. These are suficient for posterior consciousness in his model. Now, experiments of decortication in monkeys of all but posterior regions make these animals (presumably-I will not go into reportability and animal consciousness issues) visually unconcious, and do not even retain blindsight. Second, imaging studies of visual (phenomenal) concsciousness show activation not only in posterior cortex, but also in anterior (Brodmn. Areas 46, 47, dorsolateral PFC).
Taylors main model is the 'relational' paradigm, that is for something to be conscious, its imput must be intermingled with past mamories and processing. Now some cases of severe amnesia are caused just because of inability to relate present imput to past memories or experiences. These patients are nevertheles conscious, even if they cannot remember the imput after some minutes. Relational-model necesary for memory, recolection, recognition, maybe even recall, but not apparently for consciousnes sin general. In fact, Taylor seems at times to equate consciousness in general with working memory, and this does not hold up completely.
Finally, he tries to explain qualia with "bubbles" of activity in cortex, his argument being that these phenomena have apparent similarity to the properties of qualia itself. But why must something in the brain be like qualia for it to be able to explain it? Are language areas like language? MT like motion? V4 milticolored? The amygdala fearfull? this is the fallacy of isomorphism. It is no argument to say that since something in the brain resembles a phenomenon, then that something is the correlate of the phenomenon.
The model is nevertheless quite complete -that is, he tries to explain a lot, and considers many pieces of evidence. I belive Taylor has gotten many things right, but not explained consciousness in a satisfactory way. Good read nevertheless.

1 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A race yet in the starting blocks, June 17, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Race for Consciousness (A Bradford Book) (Hardcover)

The book is extremely fascinating, but I am left with a feeling that this field of science is hopelessly underdeveloped. Why haven't we made breakthroughs in this field decades ago? And is this theory really brand new? Some of these ideas about consciousness seem rather mainstream to me. Of course, kudos must go to Taylor for making an obviously needed effort in a young field.

3 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars extremely fundamental, July 4, 2000

By 

"pyramidl" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Race for Consciousness (A Bradford Book) (Hardcover)

Author does good job in explaining area to readers who usually read Ophra books. Extremely fundamental. 75% of the world is illiterate, 20% of the remaining have technical agility to operate an automobile or computer, less than 1% of the remaining know how to build them. The cumulative knowledge of biophysical type knowledge generally requires at least graduate college work. For instance if I told you that human free choice was merely a matter of how long the hysterisis loops in your IPSP were established in the attractor would you know what was being said? (In other words is there a thing called choice?) Another example, all 5-HT of the SSRI catagory cause a frequency shift in the thalmic inhibition cycle, what does this mean in terms of drug therapy for other damaged cortical areas? Yes the information and the state of the science is there, but only for people curious enough to question.