tech
February 16, 2026
A World Appears by Michael Pollan review
The journalist and polymath probes the mysteries of the mind in this unsettling yet life-affirming investigation
TL;DR
- The article reviews Michael Pollan's exploration of consciousness, challenging the dominance of the machine metaphor for the brain.
- Pollan examines "plant neurobiology," where plants are seen to exhibit intelligence, learning, and memory through root networks.
- The book delves into attempts to create synthetic consciousness in AI, highlighting the distinction between information processing and genuine feeling.
- Pollan critiques the reductionist scientific theories of consciousness, advocating for a more integrated view that includes subjective experience and humanities.
- The author suggests that our current metaphors for the mind, derived from technology, are insufficient, and our focus should be on how technology shapes our own consciousness.
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