Galileo's Error

Foundations for a New Science of Consciousness

By: Philip Goff

Narrated by: Maxwell Caulfield

Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

From a leading philosopher of the mind comes this lucid, provocative argument that offers a radically new picture of human consciousness - panpsychism

Understanding how brains produce consciousness is one of the great scientific challenges of our age. Some philosophers argue that consciousness is something "extra", beyond the physical workings of the brain. Others think that if we persist in our standard scientific methods, our questions about consciousness will eventually be answered. And some suggest that the mystery is so deep, it will never be solved.

In Galileo's Error, Philip Goff offers an exciting alternative that could pave the way forward. Rooted in an analysis of the philosophical underpinnings of modern science and based on the early 20th-century work of Arthur Eddington and Bertrand Russell, Goff makes the case for panpsychism, a theory which posits that consciousness is not confined to biological entities but is a fundamental feature of all physical matter - from subatomic particles to the human brain. Here is the first step on a new path to the final theory of human consciousness.

Cover image: Gold Beam Collision Recorded at STAR. Copyright Brookhaven National Laboratory (Creative Commons). Full image available at Flickr.com.

©2019 Philip Goff (P)2019 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“In Galileo’s Error, Philip Goff argues for a new approach to the scientific study of consciousness. He offers an accessible and compelling analysis of why our felt experience continues to elude scientific explanation and why the theories that describe consciousness as a fundamental feature of matter have been neglected - and why they now deserve serious consideration. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of consciousness studies.” (Annaka Harris, best-selling author of Conscious: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind)

“This is one of the clearest accounts I've ever read about the mystery of consciousness, and the way in which one theory about it, panpsychism, does a great deal to explain how it occurs and what it is. Why shouldn't consciousness be a normal property of matter, like mass or electrical charge? This idea has the glorious simplicity of our first realization that the earth goes around the sun, and not vice versa. Suddenly, the universe appears in a new and much more revealing perspective. Philip Goff's book is altogether a splendid introduction to this fascinating idea.” (Philip Pullman, author of the “His Dark Materials” series)

“Philip Goff’s new book, Galileo’s Error, introduces the public to a revolutionary approach to one of the most stubborn of mysteries: How does the brain, with its chemical and electrical processes, give rise to a mind, whose thoughts, emotions, colors and tones we apprehend directly? In this provocative, brave, and clearly written book, Goff makes a compelling case for an initially absurd thesis: that the colors we perceive are instances of universal qualities hidden within all material processes.” (Lee Smolin, author of Einstein’s Unfinished Revolution and founding member of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics)

Pan-Psychism Explained

Goff makes a great case for the marriage of physics with philosophy. Finding the words, science, and data to explain consciousness have been elusive since the beginning of time. Finally a good explanation for not just how, but why consciousness pervades the universe.

Amazing

Unique and thorough explanation of panpsychism and consciousness’ role in reality. Or better yet: an exploration of the nuances and research that make the consciousness ‘problem’ the most interesting and pertinent question to answer in our time... reading this book could save the world.

Challenging details with periodic “aha moments”

At times so very satisfying. Like a well-written mystery story. Countless clues, but whatever does it all mean! How will it end? I guess we’ll all know as soon as Mr. Goff does.

Connects consciousness with reality and to an ultimate meaning of life.

Inspired philosophical analysis of logical basis for consciousness. Leads reader through complex arguments looking for affirmations and contractions.
He then uses his conclusions to give meaning and understanding to spiritual ideas that will enhance our view of our place in the universe.

Well thought out, but at the end something doesn’t fully click

The book is well thought out. It provides a good overview of different approaches to consciousness. That said, while the author does not explicitly claim that it is the sole answer, the book seems to lean heavily in the direction of pan-psychism.

This is the tip of the spear!

As a pragmatic scientist, who studying the roots of consciousness, and isn’t afraid to explore all the information available — it was amazing to finally find an author can bring together the algorithm which we live in and put it in words that most people can understand so that hopefully we can evolve before we kill ourselves.

I only have one suggestion for the author, which is it’s important that you have a pragmatic meditative breakthrough. Your next book it would be great if you addressed the factual data that meditation is being observed through fMRI. It gives us a much more tangible baseline of awareness around how those who are advanced meditators (and please let’s stop using the word mystics) connect to the fundamental universal
Conscious state. That data will also open up a whole New World of brain states the frequencies connected to them, and how that might align with a fundamental consciousness that we could explore through pen psychist ideas.

This is a fantastic book that could change a lot of peoples lives and spark curiosity. My only fear is that it’s too advanced for how locked in most of the world is to the mechanisms and that empty space.

Great book at describing Panpsychism BUT...

I thought this was a great work in the philosophy of Panpsychism. I thought it did an excellent job at showing the primary challenge for Pansychism of the combination problem. However, I think that Goff should have further elaborated on how IIT could be incorporated with the Pansychism world view. I'd highly recommend Max Tegmark's book Life 3.0 to any readers of this book (the entire book about AI is amazing, but particularly the last chapter on consciousness).
I understand that we need to try to pursue a model of consciousness that best fits the evidence rather than what we wish to be true or on arguements from authority. But I absolutely loved that Goff mentioned the arguements of Bertrand Russell (and Sir Arthur Eddington) were rediscovered. I wish I knew when Goff claimed these arguments had been "rediscovered". Bertrand Russell is perhaps my biggest hero, and I read his book The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell over 20 years ago. One of his essays contained within "Physics and Neutral Monism" is essentially a gateway to Pansychism. So I found it absolutely fascinating to revisit that book and the annotations I had made in the margins from several decades ago! I would recommend reading the aforementioned Russell essay, as I had to reread for myself.

Fascinating and well-read

This seemed a well-organized presentation of the variety of possible views on consciousness, with a convincing case made for the authors preference.

A Great But One-Sided Conversation

Here, Goff explores panpsychism and contrasts it with two other prominent theories of consciousness, dualism and materialism. Panpsychism, like dualism but unlike materialism, takes consciousness as fundamental in the universe. Unlike dualism (which operates outside of physics via "psychophysical laws"), Goff considers panpsychism to operate wholly within the bounds of physics. However, to do this (and this is unique to panpsychism), one must consider the "data point" of consciousness as proof of the "qualitative", "internal natures" of "matter". Internal Natures are given their own "technical appendix" in this book.

The use of quotation marks above is not meant to be derisive (except maybe when referencing the technical appendix). It means that Goff's choice of words here are highly consequential. For example, how seriously will you, dear reader, take the "data point" of subjective consciousness? Is "qualitative" analysis really something science currently ignores, a science which has elucidated for us non-quantitative structures such as the biological cell, without needing to reference "internal natures"? And of "matter" - what of the non-massy, non-complex-structure forming photons and radiation of the world? Does this too have an internal nature? If so, why insist on using the words "matter" and "mass" throughout? And if not, what happens to the internal consciousness of a mass when it is converted to non-massy energy?

At times, Goff's focus is too narrow and he does set up and knock down a few strawmen in place of their broader populations - identity theory in lieu of physicalism when discussing zombies, causal structuralism instead of broader conceptions of physics when discussing internal natures, quantitative physical models without considering the more qualitative operands of scientific thinking. But this seems more a constraint of book length than philosophical laziness. In the end, this is one of those books I wish could be more like a live conversation with the author. Read this book. Enjoy the philosophy. And begin your panpsychist conversations here.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Finally a name to put to my feelings and views of the world. Fun and engaging listen.