[FRIAM] The Hidden Spring: A Journey to the Source of Consciousness by Mark Solms

[Russ Abbott]

About to be published.

>From a review
<https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/feb/05/the-hidden-spring-by-mark-solms-review-the-riddle-of-consciousness-solved>
by Oliver Burkeman:

Burkeman: Using poignant case studies of neurology patients – including
children born with brain damage, yet plainly still capable of sadness and
joy – [Solms] argues persuasively that consciousness ultimately arises not
in the cortex, the seat of advanced intelligence, but in the more primitive
brainstem, where basic emotions begin.

Russ: In other words, consciousness exists far down the tree of life.

Burkeman: To the best of my understanding, the gist [of the book] is that
feelings are a uniquely effective and efficient way for humans to monitor
their countless changing biological needs, in extremely unpredictable
environments, to set priorities for action and make the best choices so as
to remain within various bounds – of hunger, cold and heat, physical
danger, social isolation, etc – outside of which we can’t survive for long.
Doing all that without feelings, and doing it as rapidly as survival
requires, would take so many computational resources that it would lead to
a “combinatorial explosion”, demanding levels of energy a human could never
muster.

Here's Nick Lane's blurb on Amazon
<https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Spring-Journey-Source-Consciousness/dp/0393542017/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8>:
(If you know Nick Lane, you know he is worth listening to.)

"At last the emperor has found some clothes! For decades, consciousness has
been perceived as an epiphenomenon, little more than an illusion that can't
really make things happen. Solms takes a thrilling new approach to the
problem, grounded in modern neurobiology but finding meaning in older ideas
going back to Freud. This is an exciting book."
― Nick Lane, author of *The Vital Question*


-- Russ Abbott
Professor, Computer Science
California State University, Los Angeles
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