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Then I Am Myself the World

Christof Koch

Explore consciousness as a fundamental feature of the universe through neuroscience, panpsychism, and profound questions about experience and connection.

15 min12 Chapters
Then I Am Myself the World

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Outline

What's it about?

Then I Am Myself the World (2024) explores one of the deepest questions in science: what consciousness is and where it comes from. Neuroscientist Christof Koch explains integrated information theory, which links consciousness to the way a system integrates information, and considers what this means for animals, machines, and people near the end of life. He also reflects on his own experiences and how they shaped his thinking.

Key ideas

  • The book takes on one of science's deepest questions: what consciousness is and where it comes from.
  • Christof Koch is a neuroscientist, and he writes about consciousness from the standpoint of brain science.
  • Integrated information theory links consciousness to the way a system integrates information.
  • Koch considers what this view means for animals, for machines, and for people near the end of life.
  • He also reflects on his own experiences and how they shaped his thinking.

About the author

Christof Koch is a German-American neuroscientist and one of the leading researchers on consciousness. He worked for years with Francis Crick and later led research at the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle. His other books include The Feeling of Life Itself and The Quest for Consciousness.

Questions people ask

What is Then I Am Myself the World about?

It is a 2024 book by neuroscientist Christof Koch on what consciousness is and where it comes from. He explains integrated information theory and what it implies for animals, machines, and people near the end of life.

What is integrated information theory in this book?

It is a theory that links consciousness to the way a system integrates information. Koch uses it to ask which kinds of beings and systems might have experience.

How long is the Durar summary of Then I Am Myself the World?

The Durar summary takes about 15 minutes to read or listen to. It covers the book's main argument about consciousness, from integrated information theory to Koch's own reflections.

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