This book, written for a wide readership with some background in the natural sciences, addresses the very old problem of the mind-brain-relationship. The authors, all well-known scientists, approach the subject in different stages. The first part addresses some general principles based on physics, computer science, and theoretical biology. The two following parts deal with the problem at different organizational levels, from the microscopic to the macroscopic. The fourth part addresses the subjective level founded on the findings of psychologists and neurophysiologists.

It was not long ago when the consciousness was not considered a problem for science. However, this has now changed and the problem of consciousness is considered the greatest challenge to science. In the last decade, a great number of books and articles have been published in the field, but very few have focused on the how consciousness evolves and develops, and what characterizes the transitions between different conscious states, in animals and humans. This book addresses these questions. Renowned researchers from different fields of science (including neurobiology, evolutionary biology, ethology, cognitive science, computational neuroscience and philosophy) contribute with their results and theories in this book, making it a unique collection of the state-of-the-art of this young field of consciousness studies.
- First book on the topic
- Focus on different levels of consciousness, including: Evolutionary, developmental, and functional
- Highly interdisciplinary