On My Mind: A New Vision of Consciousness

163 reflections on a new vision of consciousness, On My Mind by Steve Perrin is based on 30 years of personal introspection. Perrin develops a model of his conscious and unconscious mind emphasizing the role of the self in moderating between perception and action. The mind, he says, answers three questions: 1) What's happening?, 2) What does it mean to me?, and 3) What should I do? He develops the idea that consciousness consists of looping engagements between perception, action, and the world on the far side of our senses, forming a continuous loop moderated by consciousness. Disparities between expectations and resulting perceptions are what arouses consciousness to intercede between perception and action. If we are not aroused, we settle for unconscious bouts of mimicry, ritual, routines, habits, and fixed beliefs to govern our behavior. On My Mind ends with a chapter putting forth suggestions toward a theory of mind.