Figments of Reality: The Evolution of the Curious Mind

Is the universe around us a figment of our imagination? Or are our minds figments of reality? In this refreshing new look at the evolution of mind and culture, bestselling authors Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen eloquently argue that our minds necessarily evolved inextricably within the context of culture and language. They go beyond conventional reductionist ideas to look at how the mind is the response of an evolving brain trying to grapple with a complex environment. Along the way they develop new and intriguing insights into the nature of evolution, science and humanity.

Ian Stewart is Professor of Mathematics at the University of Warwick, UK, and Professor of Mathematics at the Royal Institution of Great Britain. In 1995 he was awarded the Royal Society Michael Faraday medal. Jack Cohen is an internationally known reproductive biologist who was a university teacher for thirty years and has published nearly a hundred research papers. He acts as a consultant to top science fiction writers and frequently appears on radio and television.