Hypnosis, Psychosis and the Consciousness Conundrum

Have you ever wondered how your brain works, how it makes sense of what you hear and see? Many people do, but then shrug their shoulders and simply get on with using their brain. That’s sad; they are missing such a lot! This book is full of fascinating facts and details about the senses, and also covers what happens when things ‘go wrong’, such as when someone hypnotised sees their friend in two places at once. It also covers more distressing errors, like the PTSD victim who vividly re-experiences their trauma, seeing, hearing and even smelling all the terrifying details again.

However, through all these anecdotes and explanations, the book moves inexorably towards the most tantalising question of all: How do we know that we are seeing and hearing things? In these days of ‘Alexa’ we are familiar with machines that respond to speech, but they don’t know that they are. They are merely a particularly sophisticated light switch! So, what do we have that Alexa doesn’t? This book takes you on a truly fascinating journey of exploration, in search of the exotic entity that is consciousness.

Peter Naish has enjoyed a diverse career path. Initially pursuing a degree in the physical sciences, he dedicated almost a decade to teaching physics and chemistry. Subsequently, he embarked on a new academic journey, earning a degree in psychology. This led him to Oxford University for his doctorate, where he remained for a decade, engaging in both teaching and research. Following this tenure, he transitioned to the Ministry of Defence, continuing his research endeavours for another decade. Ultimately, he found his way to the Open University, where he remained until retirement. Throughout his career, he has held notable positions, including heading the Psychology Section of the British Science Association, serving as President of the Section for Hypnosis and Psychosomatic Medicine at the Royal Society of Medicine, and participating as a member of the Board of Directors of the European Society of Hypnosis.