Jeffrey Gray’s Consciousness: Creeping up on the Hard Problem will be enjoyed by

everyone interested in consciousness. Gray, a neuropsychologist, eloquently summarizes significant experimental results on consciousness and, more importantly, explains both how these results interrelate and how they constrain potential theories of consciousness. He also uses these results to build a novel, fascinating theory of what consciousness does and does not do. Throughout the work Gray’s accessible presentation remains deeply respectful of psychologists, neuroscientists, and philosophers ’ approaches to consciousness. In this respect, Gray’s book is an ideal work for an interdisciplinary audience. Sadly, Gray died three months before the publication of this excellent work. 1. A Function for Consciousness Gray begins Consciousness: Creeping up on the Hard Problem by acknowledging Chalmers ’ (1996) distinction between the hard and easy problems of consciousness. Solving the easy problems requires explaining how we execute certain functions; e.g. how we extract information from sensory stimuli, how we integrate that information, and how we report our thoughts. Solving the Hard Problem requires explaining why there is something it is like for us to execute those functions (or to instantiate specific neural states). Gray proceeds by suggesting that his work creeps up on the Hard Problem’