What is consciousness? Michael Pollan spent 4 years looking for the answer

The article highlights the evolution of psychology’s focus from introspection to observable behaviour to cognitive processes, noting the recent resurgence in the study of consciousness.
Despite significant intellectual effort, consensus on the nature of consciousness and its underlying mechanisms remains elusive.
Michael Pollan’s book, A World Appears, investigates consciousness through the lenses of sentience, feeling, thinking, and the self. It delves into controversial areas like plant sentience and the consciousness of plants.
Pollan challenges prevailing assumptions about consciousness, questioning whether it can be fully understood or simulated by machines.
The book juxtaposes scientific efforts with philosophical and literary explorations, suggesting that first-person experiences may offer deeper insights into consciousness than third-person research.
Pollan expresses skepticism about the academic study of consciousness, advocating for a balance between scientific investigation and humanistic approaches.
The book ultimately suggests that perhaps consciousness cannot be reduced to a singular theory and that multiple, competing perspectives together may illuminate various dimensions of human and non-human experience.

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