The User Illusion: Cutting Consciousness Down to Size (Allen Lane Science S.) - Tapa dura

The `user illusion' of this groundbreaking book's title comes from the computer industry and refers to the simplistic mental image most of us have of our PCs. Our consciousness, says Norretranders, is our user illusion of ourselves. For example, in any given second, we consciously process only sixteen of the eleven million bits of information our senses pass on to our brains. Real communication consists of the vast amount of information that's left out - what the author calls `exformation' -not the miniscule percentage that's left in. Drawing on scientific research from psychology and biology to physics and computer science, Norretranders makes a compelling case for putting consciousness in perspective.

Tor Norretranders is the leading science writer in Denmark where THE USER ILLUSION was a betseller. He is an award-winning author of more than ten books, and host of numerous television programmes on science-related topics.