Neuroscientific Basis and Purpose of Self, Mind, Consciousness and Emotion

This book presents a unified view of subjective self, mind, consciousness, and emotions grounded in objective neuroscience and biology. It explores how and why nervous systems and subjective phenomena have developed during evolution, linking molecular and cellular neuroscientific mechanisms, neural circuits and higher brain functions, emotions, sleeps, dreams, psychiatric disorders, evolutional and social aspects of animals, and AI, to the nature of mind and consciousness. The discussion suggests that one’s self may not be unitary, offering fresh perspectives on human subjective experiences, and provides considerations and guidance for decision-making in the society.

Tomoo Hirano earned both his bachelor’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo. In 1997, he was appointed as a professor in Department of Biophysics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, where he conducted research on synapse formation, synaptic function, synaptic plasticity, and mechanisms of motor learning in the cerebellum. From 2017 to 2019, Dr. Hirano served as the dean of the Graduate School of Science, and he is now a professor emeritus at Kyoto University.