Content area
Full Text
A digression first: I have an uncle who is a science geek. As a child I would spend hours being fascinated by his discussions of such diverse topics as hyperbaric research, zero-pressure bodysuits, and designs for a novel type of scuba mask. This new book by Dr. Walling and Mr. Hicks is like spending an enjoyable afternoon with my uncle, except now I am fascinated by their theories of consciousness.
This is a fun book. Described as "a thrilling romp through the last billion years," it seeks to describe consciousness in terms of nonlinear dynamics, attractors, and multidimensional phase space. The tone is conversational, not stuffy, yet very informative. Along the way the reader will be exposed to chaos theory, fractals, "Roger, the crab-like critter," and Beatrix Potter. Quite a romp, indeed. Don't let the previous sentences scare you off, though--all of the difficult math and concepts have been simplified so as to be approachable by the average reader...