The River of Consciousness by Oliver SacksMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A collection of previously published essays from Oliver Sacks, who passed away last year. The book has Sacks discussing various realms of science, all in attempts to provide meaning and understanding to our inherent thirst for meaning in our lives, and understanding what we identify as our consciousness. The essays are beautifully written, thought-provoking, and often illuminating. Whether he is writing on Darwin's work with plants, how we define and measure time, or the accuracy of both or real and imagined memories, I found myself deeply engaged in Sacks' writing.
In the title essay, Sacks refers to consciousness as being both "active" and "selective." Personally, my reflection on that wording and concept has given me, I think, a much better sense of understanding (even if I can't yet put it in the right words), what consciousness is, and how it is both universal and subjective.
When Sacks passed away last year, I was saddened; having been touched by his prior writings on meaning, and finding particular guidance in his writings on those with mental ailments. Reading this reminds me that with his passing, we will no longer have his insightful thinking and writing to help us navigate an increasingly complex world seemingly devoid of the meaning and consciousness we so often seek and desire.
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