Book review: A World Appears

A World Appears by Michael Pollan

Michael Pollan’s new book, A World Appears, addresses a foundational aspect of being human: consciousness. I confess that I’d never really thought much about consciousness even though I think I’ve spent a good deal of my life in it…
He delves into the philosophical, literary and scientific aspects of what we think “consciousness” might mean, how it works, and some of the latest research. It is a very accessible and enjoyable story, told mainly through interviews with prominent scientists and writers.
My only real criticism is actually quite minor, but I think deserves to be mentioned. He occasionally refers to experiments that some of the consciousness experts have undertaken, including himnself, to explore the boundaries of perception, awareness, chemistry and memory with hallucinogens like psylocibin and LSD. I think he could have more adequately emphased the important warnings about the risks here and the all-important precautions necessary in preparing for these experiments - including a safe environment, dosage controls and having ample assistance throughout the experiments.
But overall, I think it’s an important work that offers valuable insights into the field, as well as our individual lives. And it comes at a critically important moment in human history as we engage more and more with Artificial Intelligence.