Review: Then I Am Myself the World: What Consciousness Is and How to Expand It

Then I Am Myself the World: What Consciousness Is and How to Expand It by Christof Koch
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Christof Koch’s latest book gives a good overview of his work in neuroscience spanning several decades. Koch always likes a bet, and talks about settling his 25 year wager with David Chalmers: in June 2023 he handed over a case of fine Madeira wine for failing to have identified the neural correlates of consciousness in the preceding 25 years. He thinks he is closer in the elusive search for the seat of consciousness, with the hunt narrowing towards the back of the neocortex, and reckons the next 25 years or so should see it pinned down further. In terms of ‘how’ consciousness works, he is now a fervent advocate of the ambitious Integrated Information Theory (IIT) of Giuilio Tononi, a theory that more than 100 consciouness researchers have branded pseudoscience.

The chapter on IIT is, unsurprisingly, the most dense. The rest of the book is an engaging read. Christof Koch is an elegant writer, and this book starts with a very open description about one of his experiments with Psilocybin to engage the deeper parts of his conscious experiments. His later discussions on the use of this psychedelic substance provide a fascinating glance into how altered states of consciousness can offer insights into the brain’s mechanisms and the nature of subjective experience.

Koch sets out his lifelong journey of discovery. He is a materialist and reductionist, but as a supporter of IIT his views contrast with philosophers like Daniel Dennett, who were skeptical of many of the qualia of conscious experience and dismiss them as mere illusion.

Given his many decades of work in the field he is well place to stand at the crossroads of where rigorous scientific inquiry meets deeply personal reflection. Koch navigates the complexities of how consciousness emerges from the brain, offering readers an accessible yet intellectually rich exploration.

In addition to his scientific rigor, Koch opens up on his personal journey—from Catholic altar boy, to agnostic materialist, to someone who accepts the world in all its glorious qualia. This infuses the narrative with a sense of intellectual humility and openness. Koch’s ability to weave complex theories with philosophical musings and personal insights makes Then I Am Myself the World a standout contribution. The book is not just a scientific treatise but also a meditation on the profound mysteries of existence.

I have read several of his books, and rate him highly as a scientist and thinker. He appears to have much more humility than many of his contemporaries in the field, and although I don’t agree with all his conclusions, he is certainly someone I would love to spend an evening drinking beer with. This book is highly recommended for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of consciousness.

I gave it five stars.

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