Chapter 2, The Anatomy of Consciousness Summary and Analysis

Contrary to popular belief, the consciousness is not a mystical thing. Rather, it is a biological process even though it is able to override genetics to become self-directed. The author states that without consciousness, a person would only be able to react instinctively to all circumstances. With a consciousness, a person is able to weight information according to a variety of circumstances and act upon the accumulated information. The consciousness also allows a person to invent information, create lies and envision works of art. It also allows one to determine happiness or misery despite outside influences. However, Csikszentmihalyi believes that those who claim to have an advanced consciousness or extra sensory perception, even in the smallest amount, is self-deluded. Most fakirs and practitioners of other mental disciplines do not hold up to scrutiny...