Being you:: A new science of conciousness - book overview

e-book borrowed from the local library and read on Libby, across a wet winter weekend. This book 'Being you:: A new science of consciousness' by Anil Seth, was one of the books (and authors) featured in  Pollan's book 'A world appears'.  The book was published in 2021 and sets out a biological/evolutionary perspective on consciousness. 

The book has positive reviews - exampled by this one from the Guardian. In itself, the book undertakes an update on neuroscience understanding of how the brain works and how its organic nature, may not be easily replicated. 

The book has 13 chapters with introductory and concluding chapters as well. The 4 sections, lays out the argument, each building on the next to provide details of how the workings of the brain, provides each person with a highly individualised perspective on the world at large. Being organic, the brain draws on the various senses, memories and experiences of each person. Hence, it is inherently a 'work in progress'. Each chapter has several pages of notes at the end.

The processes described in the earlier chapters explains some of the challenges for transforming people's mind-set. It takes effort and persistence to over-ride what each person has learnt, through a life of being in the 'university of life' and to shift perspectives. This is not impossible, which is where education plays an important role, but moving one's way of being, doing, thinking and feeling, requires strong social and individual motivation. It is an intense  undertaking to shift tracks which is why items like political affiliation (see Haidt's book - the righteous mind) takes some doing.

As to whether AI will become 'conscious' is dependent on how consciousness is defined. As per this book, the argument is that 'qualia' a sense of what something is and the degree of someness, is already difficult to quantify as each sentient being, brings their senses and experiences to gauge the experience. My estimation is that currently, Gen AI does not exhibit qualia. Gen AI cannot 'feel' or be conscious of its selfhood. It remains to be seen what may happen into the future. For the moment, our humanness affords us many qualities that are unique to us. 

The book has many examples explaining complex concepts and processes. It is an accessible read providing a good update on current understandings of how the brain works. Important now when claims are made each day about AI and yet, there are so many things AI is not able to do. AI looks proficient, but it is still a pattern matching algorithm. The patterns look plausible to us because our brain favour tidy patterns and black and white answers. However, many aspects of life are not quantifiable, predictable or straight-forward. As such, the human brain, with its inherent malleability and ability to 'think outside the square', draw on experiences /wisdom, and actually change tack when required, will still be difficult to replace.