Review: The Character of Consciousness

Chalmers is a very big name in the philosophy of consciousness and this is a very big book about consciousness. Weighing in at over six hundred pages and comprised of fourteen, already published papers (two of which are co-authored), it collects together Chalmers’ greatest hits on consciousness in one handy tome. It is comprised of some highly technical and intricate philosophical papers juxtaposed with a couple of more accessible writings that have influenced disciplines outside of philosophy. For anyone wishing to familiarize themselves with the nuances and fine details of Chalmers’ approach (or who lacks the full set of his papers already) the book offers excellent value for money. It provides a window on what motivates his approach and, crucially, where his thinking is leading him now.