The Evolution of Consciousness

The Evolution of Consciousness: A Fundamental Challenge to Our Assumptions About the Mind. Robert Ornstein presents a provocative look at how the human mind evolved, and what this means for our future. He tackles the mind's central mysteries, such as how brain size grew so quickly, why we dream, and how memory works. Drawing on Charles Darwin's discoveries, Ornstein shows how the mind evolved to help us survive - to avoid danger, procure food, and perpetuate the species. Ornstein reveals that the mind is adaptive rather than rational, consisting of a "squadron of simpletons" - unconscious mind-shifts geared to surviving in a world long-since gone. Our sense of self is just another of these simpletons, with its own limited role and insight. By understanding these mind-shifts, we can develop an innate perceptive capacity, known as "higher consciousness", which allows us to go beyond our limitations and cultivate a new level of understanding reality. This book offers a fresh perspective on the nature of the human mind, challenging our assumptions about how it works and what it means for our individual and collective lives.