A masterful synthesis of neuroscience, philosophy and evolutionary biology, this book transforms how we understand what it means to be conscious, alive and human.

The age-old mystery of consciousness - our capacity to experience our own existence and have a sense of ourselves - remains unsolved despite the extensive efforts of neurobiologists and philosophers. What if the secret to consciousness lies not in abstract thought, but in the very feelings that pulse beneath our awareness?

In this groundbreaking work, renowned neuroscientist Antonio Damasio overturns centuries of thinking about consciousness by demonstrating how it emerges not from the highest functions of the brain but from the humble functions of the nervous system. Damasio shares his cutting-edge research on human neurology and psychology, and explains how brain, mind and body come together to generate consciousness.

He explores the profound implications for understanding human creativity, morality and culture - and confronts the existential questions raised by the extraordinary new capabilities of artificial intelligence, in an impassioned defence of human consciousness as a unique force which must be understood and valued if we are to progress as a society.

Antonio Damasio is a professor of neuroscience, psychology and philosophy. Considered one of the most eminent scientists of our time, he has made fundamental contributions to the understanding of brain processes and their relationship to emotions and consciousness. He directs the Brain and Creativity Institute at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, holds honorary doctorates from several top universities, and is a member of some of the world's most prestigious scientific academies. He has received numerous awards and has discussed his research in books such as Descartes' Error, The Sensation of What Happens, Looking for Spinoza, And the Brain Created Man and The Strange Order of Things.