Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview: #1 The path leading from the initial assumption that we are physical objects obeying the laws of physics to an understanding of our conscious minds is strewn with difficulties, both empirical and conceptual. #2 I have often dismissed ideas that seem strange to me at first, but I have found that they are extremely important and have deeply contributed to my view. I am eager to pass on my newfound solutions to the big puzzles about the mind. #3 The first two billion years of life on Earth were spent optimizing the basic machinery for self-maintenance, energy acquisition, and reproduction. Then, two different prokaryotes, each with its own set of competences and habits, collided. #4 The Eukaryotic Revolution, which occurred about half a billion years ago, saw the arrival of a bounty of new life forms. The MacCready Explosion, which occurred about 10,000 years ago, saw the arrival of humans and their livestock and pets, who now dominate the planet

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