In this book J. Allan Hobson sets out a compelling -- and controversial -- theory of consciousness. Our brain-mind, as he calls it, is not a fixed identity but a dynamic balancing act between the chemical systems that regulate waking and dreaming. Drawing on his work both as a sleep researcher and as a psychiatrist, Hobson looks in particular at the strikingly similar chemical characteristics of the states of dreaming and psychosis. His underlying theme is that the form of our thoughts, emotions, dreams, and memories can be reduced to the nerve cells and electrochemical impulses described by neuroscientists. Among the questions Hobson explores are, what are dreams? Do they have any inherent meaning, or are they simply random images that we shape into a coherent narrative upon awakening? And what is the relationship between the delirium of our dream life and psychosis? Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.